Month: January 2022

In Uproxx circles, Denver is known for its panoramic Rocky Mountain views, the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre, access to incredible National Parks, and being early adopters of legal weed and mushrooms. But while these aspects of Denver certainly all ring true, it was the restaurant and bar scenes in the Mile High City that really stood out on my first visit. Every food and drink spot I went to seemed to have its own unique theme, decor style, menu selection, and overall vibe.

More importantly, the standard of dishes was exceptionally high, and that’s coming from someone who is spoiled by the eclectic LA scene. Each location added more character to the already vibrant city. In fact, exploring the different dining and bar options turned out to be my favorite part of the entire trip. It was totally worth the extra few pounds and two-day-long hangover I came home with.

If you’re planning a trip to Denver and want to fill your itinerary with food and drinks that you’ll be thinking about for weeks (or months) after your visit, keep reading my guide below. I’m sharing the best Denver restaurants and bars that every first-time visitor needs to try.

PART I — WHERE TO EAT

Root Down

Brunch is the most important meal of the day, especially when it involves bottomless mimosas and boozy morning cocktails. Root Down is a local Denver favorite, and for good reason. Walking into the restaurant feels like stepping back into a classic ’60s diner adorned with garage sale vintage finds. I’m not sure there’s any real theme to Root Down, but that’s what I loved about it. From a wall full of rainbow dial-up phones to the old school photographs hanging in the dining area, Root Down’s ambiance makes for an eclectic start to the day.

As for the actual food and drinks, Root Down offers exactly the kind of fare that I personally always look for and appreciate. The restaurant uses responsibly-grown, veggie-forward ingredients to curate a diverse menu that includes a number of organic and vegan items. All animal proteins used in the non-vegetarian dishes are certified humane, pasture-raised, and vegetarian fed, so you can trust that what you’re actually putting in your stomach is good for you (or at least free of chemicals and hormones). I ordered the Tofu “Paneer” Scrambled — made with harissa, carrots, eggplant, kale, goji berries, chili paneer sauce, tomato, and cilantro chutney. The tofu and veggie medley was surprisingly flavorful and gave me that full belly satisfaction without feeling totally gluttonous.

I paired this with a blood orange mimosa, which was refreshingly delicious, but the menu also serves more eccentric morning cocktails. The Dark Side of the Moon is made with citrus vodka, blackberry liqueur, hibiscus cinnamon syrup, cranberry, and lime juice. That’s one way to start your morning on the right foot.

Check out the full Root Down brunch menu here and make a reservation here.

Barcelona Wine Bar

Barcelona Wine Bar is a Spanish tapas bar and restaurant that feels like a piece of New York City in the middle of Denver. With dim lighting and an industrial design, the elegant restaurant is the perfect place for a date night or celebration. The dinner menu features more than 30 sharable tapas, as well as charcuterie boards, a few large plate options like paella and pimientos, and desserts. My favorite tapas items I tried were the patatas bravas, crispy brussels sprouts, and roasted delicata squash. For how nice the restaurant is, Barcelona Wine Bar’s menu is surprisingly affordable since every plate is easy to split among the table.

Of course, the wine list is the real selling point. It offers an award-winning selection of wines from Spain and South America. Not only that, but Barcelona Wine Bar has one of the largest Spanish wine programs in the U.S. If you’re in the mood for a nice glass of pinot or chardonnay, there really is no better place. I ordered one of the wine flights, which is a great option if you want to try a few different variations without stumbling out of the restaurant.

View the full menu and wine list here.

Avanti

If you’re not sure exactly what you’re in the mood for when hunger strikes, head to Avanti. It’s a modern-day food hall inspired by European-style marketplaces. Here, you’ll find seven different restaurant concepts housed in modified shipping containers, along with a couple of different bars. From pizza and burgers to fresh poke bowls and arepas, Avanti has something for everyone to enjoy.

Overall, Avanti is affordable, diverse, and casual, making it a great spot to grab lunch and a beer in between activities. It’ll give you the energy you need to explore all the wonders of Downtown Denver.

Learn more about Avanti’s rotating marketplace and stay updated on what’s being served here.

The Corner Office

If you’re looking for a hearty breakfast, mimosas, and efficient service, book a table at The Corner Office. The popular breakfast joint is a part of The Curtis Hotel, and the entire property is full of quirky color and character. This is the kind of place you want to go on a Sunday morning after a late night out of one too many drinks.

The menu is packed with classic brunch items like steak and eggs, breakfast burritos, breakfast sandwiches, and omelets. I was tempted by the Boston Cream Pie Pancakes, but I ended up going with the Chilaquiles. I devoured my Mexican breakfast that consisted of corn tortilla chips, eggs, salsa verde and guajillo, pepper jack, roasted corn pico de gallo, and crema Mexicana. It was the spicy, carb-loaded concoction I needed to cure the next-day headache. Make sure to order a side of “Office Browns” — AKA, breakfast potatoes. I’m not exaggerating when I say these were some of the best potatoes I’ve had. They’re spiced and deep-fried to crispy perfection. I honestly could have just eaten two plate fulls of these and been happy with my meal.

To drink, you can order mimosas, breakfast cocktails, or a full-on glass of wine first thing in the morning if you really wanted to (I’m not judging!). The brunch drink menu even offers a selection of signature martinis, such as the Morning Meeting, made with New Amsterdam gin, lime juice, house raspberry syrup, and house ginger syrup, or the Flight Delay, made with Knob Creek bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and lemon juice.

Check out The Corner Office’s full menu here, and book a room at The Curtis here.

Terminal Bar

Whether you just arrived in town by train or you’re on your way out, the Terminal Bar is well worth a visit. Located within Downtown Denver’s Union Station, which is a 100-year-old historic landmark, Terminal Bar offers a chic place to grab lunch, sip on a libation, and people-watch the hurried travelers pass through. For an appetizer, you need to order the Roasted Butternut Squash Hummus. Made with sage oil, pomegranate, feta crumble, and toasted pumpkin seeds, and served with warm pita bread and vegetables, this sharable dish tastes like everything you love about fall. I also ordered the Harvest Farro salad, which was refreshing, nutritious, and filling. As for the main course, you can’t go wrong with the Crispy Fish Tacos or one of the burgers (classic or veggie).

There’s no shortage of drink options on the menu, either. The Terminal Bar’s extensive draft beer collection features craft beers from many local Colorado breweries and microbreweries. Many of the bar’s selection of spirits are distilled in Colorado as well, so you’ll also want to try one of the signature cocktails. I’m not much of a beer gal, so I ordered the Jalisco Sunset, a combination of Volcan Blanco Tequila, turmeric, lemongrass, ginger, orange juice, lime juice, and beet juice. The mix of bitter and fruity ingredients gave a tart kick that complemented my meal.

To peruse the full Terminal Bar food and drink menu, click here.

PART II — WHERE TO DRINK

Improper City

Improper City doubles as a coffee bar and a taproom, so you can check it out any time of the day. The property features large-scale, beer garden-like seating areas both inside and outdoors, so you can savor your beer no matter what the unpredictable Denver weather might bring while you’re in town. With 36 taps, a full bar selection, and a seasonally rotating menu of specialty cocktails, every kind of drinker will be satisfied. When the drunchies kick in (drunk munchies), head to the food trucks outside for a bite of local fare.

This is the perfect place to kick off a Denver bar crawl, although you may end up wanting to stay here the whole night.

Learn more about Improper City’s beer selection, property, food selection, and events here.

Honey Elixir

For an intimate setting infused with good energy, make your way to Honey Elixir — but get there early, as the property is small and the line builds up fast! The bar’s ambiance is immediately compelling, with a luxury funk-inspired aesthetic, sage scents dancing through the air, and crystals eloquently placed throughout the bar.

Honey Elixir’s carefully crafted collection of unique and obscure beverages are, “intended to elevate and enhance the human experience.” That’s a lofty goal for a cocktail, but the beverages I had really did challenge my palate in a good way. I ordered the RiNo Shrub, made with Blanco tequila, ancho cherry shrub, lime, clover honey, and black lava sea salt. The eccentric mix of flavors was confusing and intensely satisfying at the same time.

If you want to skip the booze, order one of Honey Elixier’s non-alcoholic “Potions.” These elixirs are intentionally crafted with “energetic and vibrational” ingredients like flowers and crystals to evoke deeper thoughts and feelings. Not sure if there’s anything to it, because I was already buzzed by the time I tried one of these.

Learn more and browse the full Honey Elixir cocktail and potion menu here.

Sports Column

This is the sports bar I got dragged into to watch the first round of the NFL Playoffs. Fortunately, Sports Column turned out to be a really cool spot, and anyone who wants to catch a game while in town will enjoy their time here. The main area is filled with all the flat-screen TVs, athletic memorabilia, and casual atmosphere you’d expect from a classic sports bar. What makes it stand out is the indoor basketball hoop, the rooftop seating area (a great photo-op spot during sunset), and the live DJ that plays during commercial breaks.

The food and drink menu doesn’t disappoint either, especially if you’re in the mood for some greasy comfort food. Between the loaded tots, wings, burgers, and fried pickles, you’re sure to find something deliciously unhealthy to snack on during the game. You’ll also find a decent selection of draft beers and classic cocktails on the menu. Plus, Sports Column has special happy hour deals during football games.

To browse the full Sports Column menu, click here.

Ratio Beerworks

Beer lovers definitely need to make a stop at Ratio Beerwoks during their stay in Denver. It’s a local microbrewery with a state-of-the-art 20 barrel system. You can get a taste of the Ratio Beerworks brew in the property’s main taproom, which welcomes a crowd of punk and indie enthusiasts, as well as anyone who just appreciates great beer. No matter your style preference, it’s a great casual gathering place to drink a few beers with friends.

On occasion, the taproom features live music by local Denver bands, so you might also get a taste of the city’s music scene while you sip your cold one. If you plan to hit up Barcelona Wine Bar for dinner, Ratio Beerworks is a great post-dinner hangout spot, as they’re right next door to each other.

Learn more about Ratio Beerworks here.

Larimer Lounge

For a late night of live music, classic dive bar vibes, and partying, you’ll want to check out Larimer Lounge. The 1890s cocktail lounge, music venue, and outdoor patio space is in the heart of Denver’s RiNo District (River North Art District), which is known for its happening bar scene. Larimer Lounge mostly puts on punk rock and alternative shows, which are always packed to the brim on weekends.

If you find yourself in town during a concert, you’re sure to be in for a fun time. Aside from the live music, you can also check out Larimer Lounge for daytime drinks, happy hour deals, and chilling out on the outdoor patio.

Check out Larimer Lounge’s event calendar here.

With the massive (and slightly unexpected) success of Peacemaker on HBO Max, The Suicide Squad director James Gunn has confirmed that they are “working on something else” that is connected to the DC Universe.

Gunn was on the most recent episodes of Deadline’s podcast Hero Nation, where he seemingly confirmed that there was another series in the works. According to Deadline, HBO asked Gunn to move forward with an idea for another series set around one of the main characters from The Suicide Squad.

“I can’t say anything,” the director said, adding that it would look quite different than Peacemaker. “It won’t be as much a comedy as Peacemaker, but it will be in the same universe.”

Speaking of Peacemaker, there was also the question of whether the John Cena series, would be picked up for a second season. The series premiered earlier this month. “There’s a really good chance of that,” Gunn said. “The show is doing extraordinarily well, and we’re excited, we all like doing it, we just need to cross some Ts and dot some Is, which is basically me,” the director added. “[Peacemaker] got more subscribers for HBO, billions of people saw it on HBO; for Peacemaker it worked out really well.”

In reality, it was closer to millions, but the show is still the most popular streaming show in the world right now.

The National Butterfly Center is located in Mission, Texas, a short distance from the border between the Lone Star State and Mexico. The 100-acre preserve is home to hundreds of types of butterflies, but that didn’t stop former-president Donald Trump from wanting to desecrate the grounds with a border wall between the countries.

“[The border wall] directly impacts the health of the ecosystem and the abundance of breeding and feeding areas for our native wildlife,” Marianna Trevino-Wright, executive director of the National Butterfly Center, told Valley Central.

The butterfly haven is also being threatened by MAGA cultists, who believe the site is being used to smuggle sex traffickers across the border. For the safety of its employees, the center is closing from January 28-30 ahead of the “We Stand America” event.

“We are writing to let you know the National Butterfly Center will be closed Friday, Jan. 28 – Sunday, Jan. 30, due to credible threats we have received from a former state official, regarding activities planned by the We Stand America event, taking place in McAllen, TX,” the NBC wrote in a message. “This MAGA, mid-term election rally, hosted by Trump’s former National Security Advisor and pardoned-criminal, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, is the national, kick-off event for what they are calling their ‘Take Action Tour.’ You may visit the website to see the rogue’s gallery of featured speakers and presenters at what is sure to be an inflammatory exercise in free, hate-speech.”

The center learned of the event after a congressional candidate from Virginia allegedly attempted to run over Treviño-Wright’s son:

We were alerted to this event on Friday, Jan. 21, following a visit by a congressional candidate from Virginia. She appeared with a friend, who claimed to be a Secret Service agent, and demanded access to the river so they could “see the rafts with the illegal crossing” our property… When asked to leave, they attempted to film Marianna, while reiterating the malicious and defamatory lies of Steve Bannon and Brian Kolfage, whose concerted, public attacks against the North American Butterfly Association, the National Butterfly Center, and our director, Marianna, remain the subject of the lawsuit we have brought against their “dark money” fundraising organization, We Build the Wall.

As the Virginia candidate fled the center, she tried to run over Marianna’s son, who was filling in at the visitor’s pavilion. Nick was trying to close the front gate to prevent the candidate and her friend from leaving with Marianna’s phone, which they had taken from her after knocking her to the ground outside the pavilion. All of this was caught on our security cameras, and the visitor who witnessed the attempted aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on Nick called 9-11. It took Mission Police Department more than an hour to respond…

Treviño-Wright made the decision to close for the upcoming weekend when she was told to “be armed at all times or out of town this weekend” because the We Stand America events include a Trump Train-style caravan to the border, and the center “would likely be a stop on this ‘take action tour,’ and she and the center are targets.” Very normal stuff for a BUTTERFLY CENTER to have to worry about.

You can find out more here:

Thanks to their cultish devotion to pushing Donald Trump‘s election fraud claims, Mike Lindell, Rudy Giuliani, and Sidney “The Kraken” Powell are staring down the barrel of billion dollar defamation suits for accusing voting software companies like Dominion of conspiring with foreign countries to help Joe Biden “steal” the 2020 election. To the surprise of no one, the three of them are not faring well.

During a recent discovery report, Giuliani and Powell have been reportedly stalling through various bizarre tactics, according to Above the Law. While Giuliani has essentially tried to claim that the FBI raid on his office last Spring caused him to lose sensitive documents, Powell is still trying to conduct on Dominion in an effort to prove that its software systems is vulnerable to foreign intervention. In other words, she’s still going strong on the Big Lie.

As for Lindell, well, he’s just straight up making up his own legal rules as he goes along and threatening to go to the Supreme Court at every turn. Essentially, Lindell is arguing that he’s going to appeal everything, so he shouldn’t have to participate in discovery. (It doesn’t work like that.) He’s also renegotiating agreements on the fly, with no one else involved, which you also cannot do. Via Above the Law:

Lindell’s actual position here appears to be that, if you retroactively decide that it wasn’t a Rule 26(f) discovery conference, then you can refuse to comply with discovery forever.

GALAXY BRAIN.

According to the other parties, Lindell promises that “if this Court orders Lindell and MyPillow to participate in discovery before their appeal is fully resolved, they will also appeal that order” and that “they are seriously taking appeals from both orders all the way to the United States Supreme Court, if need be.”

In short, the legal proceedings is exactly the kind of circus you’d expect from having Lindell, Guiliani, and Powell in the same room. Minus anyone oozing dye from their skull, so far.

(Via Above the Law)

It’s true that much of our wildlife is in danger. Like, an alarmingly large amount. In 2021 alone, 22 species were declared extinct in the United States.

And globally, Earth is facing what scientists refer to as its “sixth mass extinction,” primarily thanks to human activity. You know, deforestation, climate change, overconsumption, overpopulation, industrial farming, poaching … the usual suspects.

It sounds like dystopian science fiction, but sadly, it’s the reality we are currently living in.

But today, there is a silver lining. Because the World Wildlife Fund recently reported 224 completely new species.

From a snake who channels David Bowie to a monkey with ivory spectacles, there are a lot of newly discovered creatures here to offer a bit of hope to otherwise bleak statistics.

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WWF’s report, released on Jan. 19, covered the rich, biodiverse habitats of the Greater Mekong region, which includes China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Myanmar.

Mekong is home to many species both strange and peculiar. Among the 163 species reported in 2016 were the rainbow-headed snake of Laos, noted for its similarity to Ziggy Stardust, and a Klingon newt, pleasing Star Trek fans everywhere … including me.

See on Instagram

Mekong is also where you might find the extremely rare saola, otherwise known as the Asian unicorn (oddly enough, it doesn’t only have one horn).

And let’s not forget the dementor wasp, a vicious insect named after the soul-sucking specters in “Harry Potter.” These gnarly creatures inject a paralyzing venom into their prey before gobbling them up alive.

If that’s not nightmare fuel, I don’t know what is.

See on Instagram

The latest list includes a monkey with ghostly white circles around its eyes, dubbed the Popa langur, named after Myanmar’s once active Mt. Popa volcano.

The Popa langur also carries the title of “Only New Mammal Discovered.” It’s a bit of a mouthful, but still noteworthy.

In addition, there’s the bright orange twin slug snake, which consumes, you guessed it, slugs. You are what you eat, after all.

Plus a new ginger plant called the stink bug for its pungent odor, which wasn’t found in a jungle at all, but rather at a plant shop in northeastern Thailand.

Though these findings are extraordinary, K. Yoganand, regional lead of wildlife and wildlife crime for WWF-Greater Mekong, told Reuters that these plants and animals still face “intense threat,” saying that “many species [will be] going extinct even before they are described.”

The Popa langur, for instance, is already a candidate for extinction, as only 200-250 are estimated to survive in the wild, CBS reported.

That is a sobering reminder. But luckily there are ways our species can help.

On its website, WWF offers two options. Under the “Action Center,” you’ll find different ways you can actively join in on particular campaigns, like repealing oil and gas programs in the arctic.

Alternatively, under the “adopt an animal” section, you’ll find gift and apparel items available for purchase, where proceeds go toward helping those animals facing the threat of extinction. I’m personally eyeing the adorable plush black jaguar.

These amazing creatures provide so much beauty, awe and wonder to the planet. No action toward their preservation is too small.

A new program from Norway shows that when you educate people and give them the ability to make sustainable choices, many will do the right thing.

Oda, the most popular online grocer in Norway (formerly known as Kolonial.No), wanted to cut its CO2 emissions in half by 2025. To reduce its carbon footprint, the company switched from plastic bags to paper boxes and upgraded its delivery vans to electric. But those changes weren’t drastic enough to hit its goal.

The company then took a hard look at its biggest source of carbon emissions, its own products. It knew that the only way it could make a real impact would be by changing the food its customers purchase and consume.

“Our customers told us that they find it close to impossible to know what is climate-friendly. We thought it was an important challenge to solve so we started looking for easy ways to communicate emissions,” Louise Fuchs, sustainability director at Oda, said according to Yahoo News.

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“We do not want to point fingers and tell our customers what to buy and what to avoid,” she added. So the company decided to create climate receipts that not only show the food’s cost in kroners but CO2 emissions, too.

Oda rated the CO2 emissions of its products and grouped them into four different categories: low, medium, high and very high. Here’s an example of the carbon footprint of various foods that Oda sells.

The graph is eye-opening because it shows the high price that we pay as a species for our reliance on eating red meat. Conversely, it shows why eating fruits and vegetables is a better choice for the planet.

According to The Guardian, meat production is responsible for 57% of all food production emissions. While only 29% comes from the cultivation of plant-based foods.

After checking out, customers now can see how their grocery shopping affects their carbon footprint.

Oda’s new program has been a resounding success because its customers have made huge changes in their shopping habits after realizing how they affect the planet. “Our customers buy more than 50 per cent more fruit and veg than the average consumer and meat substitutes are growing 80 percent year-on-year since we added the carbon receipts,” Fuchs said.

“Lentil soup was one of our top ten sold recipes last year – the previous years it was nowhere near the top ten,” she added.

Oda’s simple, but effective plan to educate its customers is a great way to encourage people to make planet-positive choices. It’s also commendable because the company is clearly putting the planet before profit by prioritizing sustainability.

It looks like the idea is catching on.

“We were the first in Norway to create the climate receipt and a year after we have seen examples of other grocers following the trend. This is great news for the consumers and we hope more will follow,” Fuchs said.

There are a lot of people that want to do more to help the planet, but they’re not sure how. Oda’s receipts empower the average person by giving them the information they need to make climate-friendly choices on a regular basis. Let’s hope this idea catches on in other countries so that more people are encouraged to shop and eat more sustainably.

No matter how young or old, every person benefits from experiencing pure, unbridled joy.

Some forms of joy are rich and meaningful, such as spending quality time with a child or grandchild, laughing together with an old friend or building a bond with a beloved pet. Other forms of joy are lighter, such as watching a comedy routine, riding a roller coaster or making a sandcastle at the beach.

We need both kinds of joy in and throughout our lives. In fact, research has shown that laughter therapy is good for the general health of seniors, and that joy is linked to a long life. A University College London study found that older people were up to 35% less likely to die during a five-year period if they reported feelings of happiness, excitement and contentment on a typical day.

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Joy is good for our elders, which is probably why a video of older folks being dragged around on inner tubes like children has gone viral.

The video was shared on Facebook by the StoryPoint Saline Retirement & Assisted Living Facility, and it’s just sheer delight.

It appears the inner tube was secured to the top of a rolling platform, which allowed it to be pulled easily around on the hard floor.

And the elderly folks weren’t the only ones who got in on the fun. The younger employees and/or volunteers also took turns being flung around.

People loved the video and the joy it clearly brought the residents.

“I’m sure they all loved this and it probably took them back to their childhood day’s of fun in the outdoors,” wrote one commenter. “Such a wonderful time to share with these residents…laughter is the best medicine.”

“Those folks looked so happy and probably had a feeling of being a kid again even if just for that moment and time,” wrote another. “Everyone deserves to remember how good it felt as kids again. Kudos to who put this in motion and did it!!”

“That’s absolutely brilliant,” wrote another. “It’s beautiful seeing them so happy and enjoying themselves, just love it!!!”

“Omg love the excitement and happiness on everyone’s faces……..looks like everyone had a blast!!!!!!” wrote another. “Who wouldn’t want to live at this senior’s community?”

Indeed, most of us would appreciate living in a community that showed this much care and was this much fun in our golden years. While not every elderly person would physically be able to do this, many would—and what a great way to safely bring some thrills into these residents’ lives and some childlike happiness to their hearts.

And as an added bonus, we get to see it and share in their joy too. Nothing but smiles all around.

Gomorrah: Season 5 (HBO Max series) — The critically acclaimed clash of families returns to follow up on the fateful meeting of the Levantes and Patrizia. A mysterious crime boss now rises to power in Naples, and his enemies are pushing back hard, but Genny might make a discovery that puts all to shame. In the process, she will rock her own world as well. So much for efficiency and a return to the action-filled routine.

Take Out With Lisa Ling (HBO Max limited series) — Lisa Ling’s generally covering serious subjects as a hard-hitting news face, but in this series, she lets loose and enjoys some grub. Specifically here, she takes viewers on a take-out journey to find the best Chinese, Indian, and Japanese take-out food. All of this is aimed at eliminating how Asian Americans get lumped into one pot and fetishized, and yeah, let’s shine a light on how Asian Americans have contributed much to the U.S. of A, alright?

I Am Georgina: Season 1 (Netflix series) — Social media maven Georgia Rodriguez (who is 28 million followers strong) happens to be many things, including an influencer, a mom, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s partner. In this portrait of her life, she’s revealing the day-to-day grind and who she really is behind the scenes.

Single Drunk Female (Freeform, 10:00pm) — A 20-something alcoholic (portrayed by Sofia Black-D’Elia) must sober up and move back in with her mother. This week, Sam’s attempting birthday-party amends, but she wasn’t invited, which presents problems, especially with her probation officer.

Late Night With Seth Meyers — Kenan Thompson, Tom Riley, Larnell Lewis

In case you missed these streaming picks from last week:

The Envoys: Season 1 (Paramount+ series) — This Spanish-language series revolves around two priests that are digging into claims of miracles while attempting figure out what’s real and what’s fabricated.

La Fortuna: Season 1 (AMC+ series) — Stanley Tucci’s a rogue treasure hunter attempting to track down a sunken ship from the 1800s, and he get embroiled within a government conspiracy in the process. What more do you need to know?

Charli XCX’s upcoming album, Crash, is a hotly anticipated one, to say the least. Due March 18th, it’s the British pop star’s fifth studio album and we’ve already been privy to its first two singles in “Good Ones,” and the Christine & The Queens and Caroline Polachek-featured “New Shapes.” Now with, “Beg For You,” Charli finally introduces the new collaboration with Japanese-British pop singer Rina Sawayama that she’s been teasing, and it’s UK dance-pop at its finest.

“Beg For You” is produced by British beatminer Digital Farm Animals, who samples the hook from “Cry For You” by Swedish pop singer September. It’s a formidable canvas for the pair to gush over on the sultry hook:

“Oh, don’t you leave me this way
Won’t you wait another hour or two?
You know I need you to stay
Don’t make me beg for you, ’cause I’ll beg for you”

This week on TikTok, Charli XCX took to the platform to say she was taking a dance class ahead of the song’s music video shoot. The video release is said to come next week. Charli’s upcoming documentary, Alone Together, is due out this Friday.

In the meantime, you can listen to “Beg For You” above.

Crash is out 3/18/2022 via Asylum Records UK/Warner Records UK. Pre-order it here.

Charli XCX is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Prior to suffering a back injury that has him sidelined currently, Draymond Green was enjoying a bounceback season as the anchor of a terrific Golden State Warriors defense and one of the lead facilitators for the offense. The three-time All-Star was back to playing at a level that had him in the conversation for a fourth selection, and shook off questions of whether he was still capable of contributing at an elite level that had popped up in the last two seasons.

With Green playing at such a high level, his future career in television seemed to be put on hold, but Turner Sports announced on Thursday that Green has signed a multi-year deal with the company to be a regular contributor to Inside the NBA and other programs as an active player.

As his schedule aligns, Green will join the Sports Emmy Award winning studio team of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith as an analyst, making select appearances – a combination of remote contributions and, at times, in person – throughout the season. Green will also contribute to various other programs, special projects and content initiatives.

Green has done spot work for Inside the NBA in seasons past, including the last two postseasons, but this agreement formalizes his partnership with Turner, as they lock up exclusivity with the highly coveted star. Green will make his debut this season with the Inside crew following Timberwolves-Warriors tonight for the postgame show.

For Turner, it certainly seems as though they are setting themselves up for a rather seamless transition of bringing Green in as a full-time analyst whenever he retires, as Green certainly appears to be the heir apparent to Charles Barkley (who has insisted he’s retiring at 60, but few, including Shaq, believe him). In any case, we’ll be seeing more of Green on TNT, where he has always been terrific, providing some of the best actual basketball analysis the show ever offers while also being able to trade jabs and have fun with Chuck and the fellas as well as anyone.