As you can imagine, every day I am totally consumed with the mayhem that is the American government. From war plans in group chats to defunding critical organizations designed to save lives both here and abroad, it all feels never ending and dark. While staying informed is crucial, it’s also important to remember that we’re all human and it’s not natural for us to have access to 24/7 bad news and updates. It’s okay to take a rest and focus on things that bring us joy and ease anxiety. For me, that means watching March Madness. I was fortunate enough to attend the UNC vs. West Virginia women’s game on Monday, and the excitement was electric both in the arena and all throughout the campus. The Tar Heels took home a W and are on their way to the Sweet Sixteen – Go Heels!
Undeniably March Madness is one of the most exciting few weeks of the year, where college basketball dominates TV, social media and beyond. Whether you are a die hard sports fan or have never heard of Cooper Flagg, you probably filled out a bracket. And because of breakout players last year like Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink, Paige Bueckers, and many others, you are just as likely to hear people talking about the women’s tournament as the men’s. The number of texts I got after Juju Watkins’ devastating season ending ACL tear was proof that the pendulum has fully swung and people are finally giving women’s basketball the attention and hype it deserves.
Finally, for those of you heading towards the bottom of your brackets, like me – don’t give up. When they play “One Shining Moment” on the night of the finals, it will all have been worth it.
Something else that brings me joy…it’s official — Sundance will be moving to Boulder, Colorado in 2027. It is the end of an era, but the birth of a new one. And as someone who carefully curated my Sundance food list, I’m now looking for recs in Boulder. The 2026 festival will be a bittersweet farewell to Park City, but I am looking forward to this new chapter — with new restaurants to try.
I am highlighting a restaurant in Chapel Hill to celebrate the Tar Heels Sweet Sixteen bid and an Atlanta spot for those of you heading down to catch some of the tournament games this weekend.
Sutton’s Drug Store
Cuisine: American
Crew: Eater, NY Times
What to Order: Burger, onion rings, hot dog, milkshake – the classics.
Notes: One exciting thing about getting to experience new cities and towns in America and around the world is finding gems like Sutton’s Drug Store. This place is everything you would think of when asked to picture an old school American diner. Sutton’s has been here for just over 100 years, and when you walk in you are instantly transported back to the early days in 1923. For the sake of transparency, nothing on the menu will be the best bite you've ever had. But once you experience the southern hospitality of the staff, see the charming photos on the wall, and realize that Michael Jordan probably had a meal where you were sitting – it will taste like something you will always remember.
Gunshow
Cuisine: New American
Crew: Alex Tse, Beau Flynn, Eli Meyer, James Ponsoldt, Eater, NY Times, Infatuation, Time Out, Conde Nast Traveler
What to Order: The menu is different every night – so try everything!
Notes: I’m not fully sold on the idea of concept restaurants, but something about Gunshow makes me want to go back a million times to see what I get. This spot from Top Chef alum Kevin Gillespie is definitely not the place to go for a quiet, intimate dining experience. The whole idea is that chefs walk around and present their small dishes, each innovative and adventurous, blending flavors and cuisines. It’s a dining experience that is not only delicious but also fun, and I highly recommend checking it out if you’re in the Atlanta area.
The Benjamin with Jordan Zachary; Kazunori with Sawyer Patricof; San Vicente Bungalows with Lisa Taback, Rory Kennedy, and Mark Bailey; Cookbook Larchmont with David Hogg, Josh Handelman, Riley Patricof, Kevin Iwashina, Michaela Sullivan, Joseph Varet, Eric Kranzler, and Mark Feuerstein; Tre Lune with Neal Moritz; Luv2Eat Thai with Team Hunting Lane; Holbox with Lee Eisenberg, Max Shapiro, Jordan Okun, Ben Hundreds, Nick Grad, Kate Burr, and Arty Nelson; Raffi’s Place with Kate Beecroft and Rachel Halilej; San Vicente Bungalows with Ben Grossman; Cosm with Mark & Frisco Feuerstein, Colin & Will Farmer, and Vivian; Crossroads with Cory Booker; Malibu Seafood with Tony Sawyer and Sharon Healy; 1922 with Kevin Demoff; Osteria Georgi with Riley Patricof, Sawyer Patricof, and Lexie; and Val’s with Kelly Sawyer Patricof, Sawyer Patricof, Zoey, and Grant.
It’s rare these days that we get water cooler TV shows, but the new Netflix limited series Adolescence is exactly that – on steroids. There are very few shows that have caused the level of mania that this show has. It’s brought to us by some of the best producers in the business, Plan B, with a rockstar team that consists of Jeremy Kleiner, Dede Gardner and Brad Pitt. And writers Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham (who also stars) created a powerful story with complex characters. I also want to give a special shoutout to Owen Cooper, who is just 13 years old and absolutely nailed it in his first major role. Between the acting and the writing, this show is TV at its best. Not to mention the extraordinary feat of doing all of these episodes in one take, which no one will ever understand how impressive that really is. It is unimaginable to almost everyone in the business, and makes for captivating television for those at home.
If you haven't seen it, you are so lucky that you get to experience it from the start. Stop what you are doing tonight and binge the whole thing – I promise you’ll be in for four gripping hours.
After two back-to-back weeks with Anne Applebaum and James Carville, I took a brief break from LWJ so I could tour schools with my daughter. But I’m excited to announce that LWJ is now available as a podcast on Apple, Spotify, and Amazon Podcasts.
You can listen on the go, or share with friends!
Our next Lunch With Jamie is set for April 8th at 1 PST and joining the conversation will be legal scholar Stephen Vladeck. As we face a constitutional crisis and wait to see if the Trump administration ignores the courts, I’m hoping Stephen Vladeck’s expertise can give us some insight and action items.
If you haven't done so already, subscribe to Jamie’s List in order to access Lunch With Jamie so you can hear thought leaders from diverse fields — from politics to entertainment — discuss the most pressing issues of our time.
I’m also excited to announce that the first installment of the new series Meet the Candidates will be on April 24 at 1 PT/4 ET. This will be a conversation series and podcast open to all to meet exciting, fact-based candidates running in 2026. My first guest will be Jocelyn Benson, who is running for Governor of Michigan. More info on that to come!
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