Memorial Day weekend in LA: the unofficial start of summer. The marine layer burns off by noon, grill masters are at the ready in every neighborhood from Silver Lake to Santa Monica, and for three glorious days, nobody checks their email (or at least we try to give it a rest for a few hours). At its heart, the holiday is a friendly reminder to slow down, be present, and appreciate all we have — starting with the people who made it possible. The team at SBP is endlessly grateful. Here's what's on our plates, in our glasses, and on our screens this holiday weekend.
WHAT WE’RE GRILLING
Fun fact about F. Ron Smith and David Berg: much like real estate, they take their grilling seriously. We asked them to share their go-to summer recipes (the one they'd stake their hard-earned reputation on) and here goes:
F. Ron’s Signature: Skirt Steak
F. Ron approaches the grill like he approaches a negotiation: with patience, preparation, and a clear end goal. His summer cut of choice is skirt steak, a serious crowd pleaser that he preps and grills to perfection.
Where to Buy it in LA: McCall's Meat and Fish Co. in Santa Monica.
The Method: Season with garlic powder, onion powder, and freshly ground black pepper. Grill each side for 4 minutes. Plate and cover.
Secret Tip: 1) Make sure your cut starts out at room temperature 2) let it rest for 10 minutes after grilling and before slicing.
David’s Signature: Prime Filet
Everyone has their method, but David's approach is slow and low. His go-to cut is prime filet and he swears by sourcing from McCall's or A Cut Above; both are exceptional. Here's how he does it:
Where to Buy it in LA: A Cut Above Butcher Shop or McCall's Meat and Fish Co., both in Santa Monica.
The Method: Sear the exterior, then let the inside take its time.
Secret Tip: It's always more enjoyable to grill when there's a cocktail in hand.
WHAT WE’RE DRINKING
No Memorial Day spread is complete without something to sip that's cold, handmade, and built for a pitcher. Skip the mixes. This one comes together fast, tastes incredible, and works with or without tequila.
The SBP Margarita
This is a proper, no-shortcuts margarita. Fresh citrus only, no sour mix, no apologies. This makes a full pitcher (roughly 8 servings).
You'll Need:
→ 2 cups fresh-squeezed lime juice (roughly 16–18 limes, yes, really squeeze them)
→ 1 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice (about 4–5 oranges)
→ ¾ cup agave nectar (adjust to taste)
→ 2 cups good blanco tequila, like this (omit for a virgin batch, it's still delicious)
→ ½ cup fresh grapefruit juice for a little complexity (optional, but recommended)
→ Flaky salt + chili powder for the rim
→ Ice, lime wheels, and a few sprigs of fresh mint to garnish
To Make:
Combine lime juice, orange juice, grapefruit juice, and agave in a pitcher and stir well until the agave fully dissolves. Add tequila if using. Taste and adjust: more agave if too tart, more lime if too sweet. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Rim glasses with a chili-salt mixture, fill with ice, pour, and garnish.
The Tacos & Tequila Twist: Add a few thin slices of jalapeño to the pitcher and let it sit for 15–20 minutes before serving. A little heat, a lot of personality.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
Between the grilling sessions and the margarita refills, here's our definitive Memorial Day weekend streaming guide, perfectly curated for our loyal T&T readers.
4 New Picks Worth Your Attention Right Now
Widow's Bay (Apple TV+, 1 season): A skeptical New England mayor refuses to believe his island town is cursed. Things go exactly as well as you'd expect. Matthew Rhys is fantastic and it's already breaking records on Apple TV+.
Your Friends & Neighbors (Apple TV+, 2 seasons): Jon Hamm loses his job, loses his marriage, and starts robbing his wealthy neighbors to cope. Dark, funny, and completely bingeable. Season 2 is already streaming.
Big Mistakes (Netflix, 1 season): Schitt's Creek creator Dan Levy and his hapless sister accidentally stumble into organized crime. Laurie Metcalf steals every scene. Very easy, very funny watch.
Marty, Life is Short (Netflix): A documentary on Martin Short that's less career retrospective, more love letter to a man who has faced real tragedy and never once stopped laughing. Tom Hanks says it best: “Marty operates at the speed of joy.”
2 Shows That Might Not Be On Your Radar
The Night Agent (Netflix, 2 seasons): A low-level FBI agent monitoring a crisis hotline picks up a call that pulls him into a massive conspiracy. Tightly plotted, genuinely tense, and the kind of show that disappears a whole weekend without apology.
For All Mankind (Apple TV+, 5 seasons): An alternate history where the space race never ended. Five seasons in and it keeps getting better. If you haven't started this one yet, you have a lot of very good television ahead of you.
2 Shows That Make Us Laugh
Shrinking (Apple TV+, 2 seasons): A grieving therapist starts ignoring his training and telling patients exactly what he thinks. Jason Segel and Harrison Ford are an unlikely dream team. Warm, funny, and genuinely good for the soul.
Rooster (HBO, 1 season): Steve Carell plays a successful action-adventure/mystery writer who takes a college residency job just to get closer to his daughter. What follows is a layered, surprisingly moving look at a complicated father-daughter relationship. Don't sleep on this one.
2 Shows We Can't Wait to Return
The Bear (FX/Hulu, 5th season returns June 25th): The most stressful show on television is also one of the best. A fine dining restaurant, a grieving family, and enough kitchen chaos to make you grateful you didn't go to culinary school. Five weeks away.
Ted Lasso (Apple TV+, 4th season returns August 5th): The eternally optimistic American football coach navigating English soccer is back for another season. If you need a reminder that kindness is a strategy, Ted Lasso is your show. August 5th can't come soon enough.