🎡 Coachella 2025
Plus, the best pastrami sandwich in the world!
It’s hard not to write about whatever shocking thing is happening in the political world these days, but the flip side is that I will go crazy if that is all I focus on. Tariffs, unlawful deportations, and cuts to crucial programs are just the tip of the iceberg. So this week, I am going to talk about one of my favorite weekends of the year – Coachella.
I know it seems like I am getting a little old for Coachella, but I disagree, I am just in my Coachella prime. Sure, it is hot (rumor has it, it will be 100 degrees this weekend), yes, it is dusty, and yes, it is filled with tens of thousands of kids taking photos for Instagram – but that is all part of the experience. In theory the headliners are a draw, but for me they are just a tiny part of it. I love watching artists perform for the first time at the festival or move up from the small stage to the main stage. I’m also excited to go because my teenage daughter is still okay with me taking her (and to be honest, anywhere my kids let me take them is my favorite place).
Now, this wouldn’t be a Jamie’s List newsletter without mentioning the food. Honestly, I wind up going to Coachella for the food almost as much as the music. The lineup of chefs each year is insane, and you could argue it rivals the best food festivals. Some of the bites I am most looking forward to include: Camphor, All All’Antico Vinaio, Shlap Muan and of course, my friends at Tacos 1986, Irv’s Burgers, and Tacos Por Vida. If you’re going to be there and you see me walking from stage to stage, I can guarantee you there is a bite of food on my mind as much as the next act I am heading to see. Last year at Coachella I took 69,063 steps over the course of the weekend – and this year I plan to beat that personal record.
As has become common, a lot of people are still complaining about Coachella. I’ve heard every gripe out there: “it was so much better before,” “it’s so corporate,” “it’s overrun with instagram photo shoots” – but I am here to say, they are all wrong. For me, my biggest issue this year (like every year) is that there are too many artists I want to see, and not enough time.
Here is my current list of must-sees (please let me know who I am missing, even though I will barely have time for these):
Thee Sacred Souls, Lola Young, Ravyn Lenae, Three 6 Mafia, The Go-Go’s, Mustard, Lady Gaga, GloRilla, Yeat, Missy Elliott, DJ Premier, The Marías, Artemas, The Pharcyde, Benson Boone, Tyla, KNEECAP, D4vd, MARINA, Travis Scott, The Original Misfits, Mau P, Pusha T, Charli xcx, Gustavo Dudamel & the LA Phil, Murda Beatz, T-Pain, Yo Gabba Gabba! (wouldn’t miss this for the world), Post Malone, Ty Dolla $ign, Megan Thee Stallion, BigXthaPlug, beabadoobee, Ben Böhmer, and Shaboozey.
For those of you in the desert this weekend, I look forward to seeing you there, sweating, dancing and hopefully eating.
As we approach Passover, I want to highlight what I think is the most delicious Jewish cuisine: The Pastrami Sandwich. At risk of upsetting my Jewish friends, I don’t think good food is our specialty. That being said, the pastrami sandwich is one of those few things that I will go to the mat for. In light of that, I reached out to the food crew and asked if they could have one pastrami sandwich before they die, what would it be? There was barely a debate, and a clear winner emerged: Langer’s in LA.
Disclaimer: I will admit we have an LA bias in the food crew, and I am actively looking for NY’ers to add to the crew (please send me an email if you think you have the street cred to join. That being said, we still have enough people who were either born in NY or live in NY to create a fair “ish” competition. The choices were Langer's, Katz’s, Daughter’s and Stein’s.
Cuisine: Deli
Crew: Ben Hundreds, Chad Gutstein, Jerrold Son, Jordan Okun, Max Winkler, David Nathanson, Jon Shook, Anthony Jacobson, Matt Karatz, David Katzenberg, Eli Meyer, Rachel Halilej, LA Times, Eater, Infatuation, and Goop
What to Order: The #19, matzo ball soup, tuna melt, plain pastrami sandwich, latkes
Notes: This place is by far the best pastrami sandwich in the world. Their bread process is untouched. If someone tells you the bread is better somewhere else, don’t trust that person (and more appropriately, you probably should reconsider the friendship). Most people know that Daughter’s Deli was started by the granddaughter of the famed Langer’s, so the bread process there is the same as is their pastrami. So personally, if I want a full meal I am ordering Daughter’s – but if it is just for pastrami, I am ordering the #19 at Langer’s – I have to give the nod to the OG.
Cuisine: Deli
Crew: Jamie Patricof, Aaron Stern, Joseph Varet, Kate Burr, Alex Tse, Jordan Okun, Eater, Infatuation, Bon Appétit, Goop, Time Out, Condé Nast Traveler, and Michelin Guide
What to Order: Pastrami sandwich, corned beef sandwich, hot dog, and knish
Pro-tip: Consider ordering on a roll – their rye bread sucks
Notes: It is hard to argue that the pastrami at Katz’s doesn't have a slight edge, although it’s an incredibly close race. If someone did a blind taste test with the Langer’s pastrami and the Katz’s pastrami, I am not convinced that I could tell the difference. Maybe that is embarrassing to admit as a foodie, but it’s true when you are dealing with the best of the best. But Langer’s wins on the rye bread, and therefore the sandwich as a whole. At least, that’s what the majority of the crew believes.
Cuisine: Deli
Crew: Jordan Okun, Jerry Greenberg, David Nathanson, Eater, and Goop
What to Order: The Rachel, The Sam
Notes: If you hadn’t heard, one of the best pastrami sandwiches is in the Big Easy. I know many of you are scoffing at this, so here is what you do next time you are in New Orleans. More than likely your flight will be too early to get a great meal before you head to the airport, so take advantage of the fact Stein’s is on delivery apps. Wake up, roll over, and order “The Rachel” to your hotel for the road and ask for dressing on the side. You won't be disappointed. Now, they aren’t on the same level as the other ones yet – but Dan Stein is doing something special in my favorite city.
🏆 Honorable Mentions
I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a shoutout to some other incredible spots. This isn't just for the Pastrami, but in honor of Passover we are giving love to Jewish delis across the country and beyond:
Call Your Mother – Washington, DC – Pastrami sandwich on a bagel? Yes please.
Schmaltz Appetizing – Toronto – For my gluten free friends, they have the Latka Double Down, which is a smoked fish sandwich with cream cheese on latkas. That's a gluten free dish I can get down with.
Brent’s Deli – Northridge or Westlake Village – If you are a valley kid, you swear by Brent’s and you aren’t wrong — Jordan Okun co-signs this endorsement.
Slyman’s Deli – Cleveland – Home of the biggest corned beef sandwich.
APL BBQ with Jon Buscemi, Max Chow, Jon Pavlesky, Ben Hundreds, and Jordan Okun; Torigoya with Chris Bender, Mark Feuerstein, and Kevin Iwashina; Mozelle’s with Kelly; Gunshow with Sawyer and Ella; Camellia Grill with Kelly and Sawyer; Chloe Hotel with Anne Applebaum; Clancy’s with Anthony Mackie, Sawyer & Zoey; Bagatelle, Tamarin, L’Isola, Sand Bar, La Café, Kinugawa, and Le Ti St Barth with Sawyer, Ella and Kelly; GYU KAKU with Alex Yarosh, Jordan Wynn, and Howard Altman; Barone’s Famous Italian Restaurant with Jordan Okun, Max Shapiro, Matt Karatz, Jon Yao, Brian Dunsmoor, Jon Buscemi, Marc Rose, Matt Rice, Michael Lasker, Jerry Greenberg, and more; iXLB with The Office.
Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson’s new book Abundance is one of the most important reads to come out in a long time. The two of these writers lay out a case for what America needs going forward and how the Democratic party has let them down. They haven’t been let down by what they believe in, but instead by the lack of results.
If I was a politician today, I would just take the playbook and say thank you. Nothing is perfect, but their plan is simple: we need more. We need things like housing, clean energy, and infrastructure in abundance. What is standing in the way isn’t money, it isn't the will of the people – it is the regulations, that sadly in many cases were put in place with good intentions by liberal governments. I encourage you to read this book (and even listen to the three hour Lex Friedman podcast) and then get mad.
Get really mad at all the representatives that you have supported that are a part of this problem – but don’t abandon them, instead force them to do better. This isn't rocket science, it just calls for everyone to no longer accept the status quo.
Who: Steve Vladeck
Where: Online, but also available on Youtube and as a Podcast
Why: As SCOTUS hears consequential cases, and the Trump administration defies lower court orders to halt deportation flights, I thought it would be important to discuss with the Supreme Court expert himself – Georgetown Law Professor Steve Vladeck.
Quote: “I don't remember whose line is. But there's the old line about the guy who says everyone at work is an asshole. My boss is an asshole, my assistant's an asshole, my co-worker's an asshole. And the friend says, maybe you're the asshole. The problem with this argument is that we have federal courts for the purpose of holding the executive branch to account. And when the President loses in lower courts, the remedy, as Chief Justice Roberts himself said a couple weeks ago, is not to attack the judges.”
Our next Lunch With Jamie is set for April 29 at 1 PST and joining the conversation will be Rep. Adam Kinzinger. If you haven't done so already, become a paid subscriber, so you can have a front row seat to thought leaders from diverse fields — from politics to entertainment — as they discuss the most pressing issues of our time.
I’m also excited to announce my new online conversation series, Meet the Candidates, which is open to free subscribers. The goal here is to highlight fact-based candidates running for election or re-election in 2026. The first one will be Thursday, April 24th at 1 PT/4 ET, and joining me will be Michigan’s Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to discuss her bid for Governor.
You can register here to join this conversation live.
Aaron Michaelson, Aaron Stern, Adam Saper, Adam Smith, Alex Tse, Andy Wang, Anthony Jacobson, Ashley Sawyer, Ben Hundreds, Blake Lively, Bobby Kim, Chad Gutstein, David Geffen, David Gelb, David Katzenberg, David Nathanson, Eater, Eli Meyer, Food & Wine, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jamie Patricof, Jason Spivak, Jerry Greenberg, Jeremy Smith, Jerrold Son, Jessica Alba, Joseph Varet, Jon Buscemi, Jon Shook, Jordan Okun, James Ponsoldt, Kate Burr, Katie McNeill, Kelly Sawyer Patricof, Lawrence Longo, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Rosenthal, Marc Rose, Martha Patricof, Matt Haimes, Matt Karatz, Max Chow, Max Shapiro, Max Winkler, Neal Moritz, Paul Zucker, Peter Goldwyn, Phil Rosenthal, Rachel Halilej, Riley Patricof, Sawyer Patricof, Sarah Meyer, Shu Chowdhury, Todd Steinman, The Hungry Tourist, The Infatuation, Vinny Dotolo.
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