DGM DIGEST: March

There are very few drinking occasions and holiday traditions that I still hold sacred at 23, mainly because I can’t hold my liquor like I used to, which is weird, considering, again, I’m only 23. I can’t imagine downing copious amounts of tequila sodas and green tea shots like I used to, bar hopping down Chippewa in not enough clothes to combat the clammy Buffalo weather. I’m not sure how I even funded that lifestyle, but I swear drinks were cheaper back then, so were gas and groceries, so I guess booze isn’t too far off, and bar covers aren’t too far off. Say what you want about young people ruining the bar scene, at least they have a sense of community and a general understanding of personal space.

St. Patrick’s Day is one of those sacred occasions for me. I’m not Irish by any means, but I just have an affinity for their culture, country, resilience, and the color green. I think my love for St. Patty’s Day comes from a combination of enthusiasm and my sister, and I’ll do just about anything to be like her. My sister used to live in Chicago and made St. Patrick's Day one of her dedicated dates. Somewhere along the line, I adopted the holiday as one of my own favorites, alongside Halloween, the 4th of July, and the night before Thanksgiving. Each of these occasions has, without fail, produced its share of glorious memories and cautionary tales, and community, which, when you think about it, is the whole point. It’s never really about the destination; it’s about everything that happens on the way there.

This year, my sister and I drove up to Toronto- and the way there was way longer than expected, thanks to the unescapable traffic- to celebrate St.Patty’s Day. We also enjoyed a much-needed, very relaxing stay at the Omni Hotel, where we indulged in what I would consider lavish living. I mean, there were really nice robes and everything. What pairs better with self-care than dirty dive bars on St. Patty’s weekend? There’s a whole vlog over on my YouTube channel if you want the full picture, but the highlight reel doesn’t quite capture how I felt by the time March was through.

Looking back on everything that happened over the past month to get me here, one word sums up March: melancholic. And maybe that’s fitting- because the occasions I hold sacred, the ones that have given me the best memories and the hardest lessons, have always carried a little weight alongside the joy. As the days get longer, the ground gets wetter, and summer creeps closer, the sadness settles in just the same. But I’m grateful for all of it- everything I learned and felt, no matter how heavy it got at one time or another. I think that’s why I started DGM Digest, as a way to reflect and appreciate all that was experienced over just one month, because truly so much can change. On the first of the month, I am always overwhelmed with excitement and opportunity, insatiable for change and growth. By the 30th, I am burnt out, grasping at anything that can pull me out of this hole I’ve dug myself. So I take it upon myself to physically recall all the amazing moments and memories, and without fail, I surprise myself every single time.

From the fabulous films I watched to the delicious (debt-inducing) food, I couldn’t stop myself from going out and taste-testing, culminating in one newsletter for your sensory pleasure: DGM Digest!

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The same way I wish someone would tell me exactly what to modify in my life to be healthy, I wish someone would tell me what movie to watch that would satisfy my exact fantasies and desires. Luckily, Tubi’s recommended category is there to help, which is how I found D.E.B.S., Around the Fire, Friday, and Soul Survivors; all of which I’d tell you to drop everything and watch right now, especially if early 2000s thriller and stoner flicks are your favorite. In my opinion, these allusive genre films are the backbone of the industry.

I’d seen Friday before on the screens of various dispensaries to whom I’d like to extend a formal “Thank you,” but I never watched it in its entirety. It’s like one of those iconic films you’ve heard about, you quote all the time, and you could start it on TV from any point and quickly catch up on what you missed. Not as quotable, but in a similar vein comes  Soul Survivors. I left my room several times during this viewing experience, and I still gathered that it might have been religious propaganda tightly sewn into a teen supernatural thriller.

D.E.B.S. has been on my radar for a while, and once it finally hit Tubi, I knew it was my time. I’ve said it before, but I am a firm believer that movies fall into your lap when you're meant to see them, and I was definitely meant to see Sarah Foster and Jordana Brewster fall in love as two of the most one-dimensional female characters of the early 2000s, but it's camp! Breaking stereotypes in pleated skirts and Mary Janes is very badass.

The most badass performance I saw this month, however, was Dylan O’Brien in Anniversary. He portrays a loser of sorts amongst his highly educated, well-decorated family, who turns evil at the first taste of power, bestowed upon him by his far more educated and evil wife, played by Phoebe Dyvoner. These two work to overthrow the United States government and implement the beliefs from her best-selling novel, “The Change”, to create a police state that is not only the downfall of a free society, but also his family. Told from the familial perspective, we watch Josh and Liz destroy democracy through forced conformity. There are several comparisons that could be made to our current reality, from the cover of the book to the cryptic advertisements for “change,” but the main one I found was how easy it is for some to sit idly by and watch the world burn if it means they may be warmed from the fire.

Cinema, specifically thriller and horror, holds a mirror to society, reflecting the fears and anxieties of its time. Nothing illustrates this better than Alex Garland’s Men, starring Jessie Buckley, in which a woman is stalked by a shape-shifting parade of men who all bleed into one another. Because what’s scarier than one man? The generational trauma and societal conditioning allow the harassment to never stop, just change faces.

That same idea is depicted throughout cinema, acknowledging these issues and offering watered-down ways to cope, but never conquer. Though Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man did surprise me with its emphasis on saving the world from evil, not just from the Nazi party, but our own children, who feel it’s their job to make a name for themself in the world before they’ve even lived in it. Cillian Murphy gives a shocking final performance as Tommy Shelby, and as a long-time fan of the series, I couldn’t have been happier with the ending, as sad as it made me.

Movies are always a good cure for a bad day. There’s drama that allows you to escape your own problems and psychoanalyze someone else’s. There are rom-coms for when you’re feeling hopeful about love or the exact opposite, and you’re looking to scream and cry at your television screen because it’s just so unrealistic! That's what I love about movies: they make you feel. Even in the deepest pits of despair, they evoke something in you, bringing life back to a near-dead demeanor. Food, for me, is the same.

Have you ever eaten a meal so good that its flavor followed you into your dreams and you woke up craving it again? Food and sex are very similar in the ways in which they’re described. But truly, food, like cinema, is a language that connects people because of what it makes you feel. Yes, that includes the severe stomach aches and time spent on the toilet. Good or bad, feelings are a blessing, as are the experiences attached to them.

People are so quick to tell you they hate tomatoes but yearn for margarita pizza, and sure, maybe they’ve never tried a tomato on its own, lightly salted with balsamic glaze, but that doesn’t make them wrong. The same way someone telling me they hated a movie I recommended doesn't make them wrong, their taste is simply skewed from mine; we all think our taste is the best, but there’s no best, there just is.

While my wallet isn’t happy about the number of times I've dined out this month, it also only has taste buds for a cash register, and how sad is that?  We often look back at credit card statements and hang our heads over the number looming before our faces. I know I do. It's rare to look at that and think, I must’ve had some good times this month, and that’s because in this economy, good times almost always come at a hefty cost.

“Why would anyone want to walk out of a restaurant or a theater feeling just satisfied? You should walk out of these local establishments, both exhausted and gratified about whatever you just finished up in there. Feeling euphoric, a little tired, and, even tho you’re full, it was so good you’re considering going back for round two; especially if you’re paying for it, you want to get your money’s worth” (DGM Digest: January). I’ll tell you it’s not just celebrities on Ozempic that are shrinking in size, appetizers have gotten smaller, drinks have more ice and less kick than ever, but I can safely say entrees are seemingly fine, and I haven’t noticed a shift there, but I do promise to keep my eyes open.

My favorite munch in March was at Roost on Niagara Street, and it was absolutely worth every penny, and I’ll tell you why. Drinks: strong. Appetizer: appetizing. Main dish: so good and filling, I had to take some home for later. And dessert: delectable. If you were driving down the street, you could honestly blink and miss the sole red Rooster sign indicating its presence. I think that’s part of the appeal, a hidden gem if you will. A hidden gem with a trendy interior and wickedly friendly and accommodating staff. Roost features an ever-changing menu, which keeps you on your toes. I love the creativity and inspiration on the menu, my favorite being the biscuit with bacon, jam, and burrata. Their gourmet pizza did not disappoint, and you’re probably thinking, how could you fuck up pizza? But you’d be surprised how many people struggle.

Remedy House was a nice surprise for a spontaneous lunch; however, we were unaware that they had shifted from breakfast/lunch to dinner/happy hour, so by the time we arrived, they were out of a few menu items. I’d love to experience their patio on a hot summer evening with an ice-cold beverage in my hand, though there’s no smoking allowed. I wish more places in Buffalo had patios that welcomed and encouraged conversation. I feel like I'm inconveniencing everyone on the patio just being curious about human connection.

One of my goals for the spring and summer/foreseeable future is to make more of an effort to connect and build community. As much as I love eating and watching movies, I want to do so with others and gain different perspectives. Your worldview is only as wide as you let it be. Food, cinema, art, culture, these are invitations to step outside yourself and see through someone else’s eyes. Empathy isn’t a weakness; it’s a warning system. Just because something hasn’t touched you yet doesn’t mean it won’t.  

The biggest takeaway I received from this past month was that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, that light might be spring, and the tunnel may just be seasonal depression, but either way, there’s hope for the future if you want there to be. It’s easy to maintain in a state of misery, especially at times as uncertain as these, but in reality, are times ever certain? Is tomorrow ever promised? These cliches exist for a reason. Indulge in the sweetness life has to offer in whatever form it may come, try something on the menu that scares you, watch a movie you’d never naturally pick. Who knows, you may even surprise yourself!

Till next time, stay flirty, stay thrsty. Watch more movies together. Make more movies together.

Cin Cin,

Paige B.