This Weekend: Get Your Art Fix From the Sofa

This 2020 horror novel by Julianne Pachico — previously known mostly for short stories — tells the story of Lina, a young woman who returns to her childhood home in Medellín years after her mother’s death. There she ends up working in a refuge for the city’s street children … but finds that the city she remembers isn’t quite the same. Scratching at the door, unsettling pictures drawn by the children and the appearance of a strange small boy are just the beginning of the creepiness.

2. The Only Good Indians

Normally the gore we remember is from horror films, but some scenes in this Stephen Graham Jones soon-to-be-classic don’t pull their punches on the blood and guts (sort of literally). Four friends, all from the Blackfeet tribe, are involved in a gruesome incident — and years later have to deal with the consequences. Along the way, Jones tackles multiple issues key to modern Native American life, including stereotyped sports mascots, life on the reservation and the pressure on the four men to assimilate.

3. The Boatman's Daughter

There’s no horror quite like bayou horror. This Southern Gothic trope is expertly handled in Andy Davidson’s newest novel about a young woman in Arkansas who’s just trying to get by, ferrying drugs up and down the river to support her dependents — a witch and a child kept hidden from the world. It’s a tinge more focused on crime than your average horror novel, but will still give you the chills.

4. Beneath the Rising

Premee Mohamed’s debut novel could be classified as young adult — at least the protagonists are teens — but since they’re using science to battle Lovecraftian monsters, we’re also gonna call it horror. Johnny and Nick attempt to improve the world and break reality in the process, summoning ancient gods. A sequel is expected early next year, so you won’t have to wait long to find out what happens.

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If you’ve ever had a layover in a Nordic airport, you know that every snack is inexplicably licorice flavored. But this particular pastille, manufactured since 1938, is a personal favorite: It’s salty rather than sweet. Particularly popular in Finland, the flavor is so beloved among its fans that you can actually find lots of salmiakki flavored delicacies, like fudge, ice cream and vodka.

2. Taiyaki

Everyone’s wild about animal-shaped food — though admittedly the fish shape is kind of a weird choice for a sweet, utterly-not-fishy cake. Sold as street food around Japan, these delicacies filled with custard or red bean paste are also available to order online. Just microwave one for 10-15 seconds to get the true feel.

3. Takis

They’re hot, they’re crunchy and kids on TikTok are eating them in bizarre ways as part of a viral challenge. This distinctive Mexican snack, chips distinctively rolled to resemble taquitos, are the (way, way better) alternative to Flamin’ Hot Cheetos you didn’t know you needed. Like most snacks, it comes in seemingly endless flavors, but we recommend the classic Fuego.

The idea for the #gettymuseumchallenge — in which the museum asked people to recreate famous works of art and post them on social media — was a lockdown stroke of genius. Now the Getty has taken the photo submissions and made them into a coffee table book to raise money for artists struggling for funds during the pandemic. It’s too late to get in the book (though a work of art would probably make a fun Halloween costume if you’re low on ideas), but you can virtually stroll the museum with a free audio tour of the ongoing Michelangelo exhibit and an interactive exploration of ancient Palmyra.

2. Dali Theatre Museum

Bearing the name of one of history’s weirdest artists, this museum — physically based in Figueres, Spain — has a truly trippy virtual tour, allowing you to explore individual rooms as if the gallery were a dollhouse. It contains not just the largest collection of Salvador Dali paintings, but his personal art stash as well. Our favorite part is Rainy Taxi, one of Dali’s works featuring an actual Cadillac that … well, let’s just say it’s not a good spot to get out of the rain.

3. Neon Museum

This one actually costs money, but it’s only $10 and it’s really, really cool. The Neon Boneyard in Las Vegas is a massive collection of neon signs, both restored and still in disrepair. Wandering through it virtually, you can click on small information bubbles to find out about the different signs, see what they looked like in their heydays and learn about the history of neon as an art form.

4. National Palace Museum

This Taiwanese gem, home to 700,000 artifacts, is just one of a huge number of museums that have made virtual browsing available via Google. See if you can find our absolute favorite piece, an exquisite cabbage carved out of jadeite during the Qing dynasty. Can you spot the insects perched in the stone leaves?

Is there anything more intoxicating than being a teenager who’s full-blown in love for the first time? This 2019 film, which premiered at Sundance, follows 17-year-old Ayanna as she falls headfirst for an older man and is forced to question exactly what matters to her. Zora Howard, who stars and also co-wrote the film, is a superstar in the making — so get on the bandwagon now.

2. Love Me If You Dare

This weird French romance (starring Marion Cotillard back in 2003 before she was a Hollywood star) tells the story of two best friends who spend their whole life daring one another to do things, sparking crazy stunts and wild emotions. We’re still not really sure how to interpret the ending, but it’s an exhilarating journey to get there.

3. Only Lovers Left Alive

If you’re just too cool for vampire romances, you haven’t yet seen this Jim Jarmusch gem, which is both a vampire romance and the coolest movie you will ever see. Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton star as bored vampires with exquisite taste just hanging out together for centuries — and dealing with drama from a younger sibling who just isn’t as chill as they are. The soundtrack, which won an award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013, is also a stunner.

The Campaigns That Made History

Think head-spinning elections are new? History repeats itself. To prepare you for the American election Nov. 3, look back at some of the most extraordinary campaign moments of history with this two-hour special from OZY and HISTORY. We’ll dive deep into the 10 most surprising and shocking political contests, from Shirley Chisholm to Ross Perot ... all the way to Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Tune in Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 9/8 central on HISTORY.