BACK WITH A BITE
Our favorite tatted, scruffy chef has returned to grace screens with his sad, puppy-dog eyes and mop-top hair. THE BEAR season two (Hulu) picks up the story immediately after season one's finale, in which chef prodigy Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) finds a secret stash o' cash to fund his dream restaurant. As The Bear's first season focused on Carmy — his past as a rising fine-dining chef and coming home to Chicago after his brother's suicide — the series explicitly captured the restaurant industry's unforgiving emotional and physical toll. But this season, we're treated to a closer look into the personal lives and dreams of his staff, with chapters focused solely on each of these supporting characters: Sydney, Richie, Marcus, and Tina. This pivot gently reminds viewers that it takes a whole team to keep any restaurant going, so chew on that next time you dine out, too. (CHEY SCOTT)
ROLL WITH IT
Fans of the Spokane-shot movie BENNY & JOON remember the dancing dinner roll scene filmed at Ferguson's Cafe, but Donna Pollei has proof she was there. Back in 1992, Pollei played the waitress in the now-iconic scene, and she kept the two rolls Johnny Depp animated for it. Before leaving the set on her last day, Pollei asked cast members to sign the bread, after which she preserved the rolls with a thick lacquer of hair spray. (They honestly look great despite being 31 years old.) In celebration of the film's 30th anniversary this month, Pollei loaned said rolls to the Central Library to put on display. See them for yourself outside the Inland Northwest Special Collections on the third floor through July, and read more about 30th anniversary celebrations on page 18. (MADISON PEARSON)
THIS WEEK'S PLAYLIST
Noteworthy new music arriving in stores and online on July 14.
MISTERWIVES, NOSEBLEEDS. The alt-pop bands catchy tunes prove that Paramore doesn't have the market cornered on melodic rock acts with red-headed female singers.
PALEHOUND, EYE ON THE BAT. Indie rocker El Kempner continues to showcase her reflective songwriting prowess on the latest Palehound LP.
LUKAS NELSON & THE PROMISE OF THE REAL, STICKS AND STONES. I was hoping this was the country rock troubadour doing a full album cover of New Found Glory's 2002 classic pop punk record of the same name. But, alas, it's originals. (SETH SOMMERFELD)
