I am on record as having very mixed feelings about Thanksgiving.
Despite my fondness for turkey, I am not a huge fan of the feast aspect — too much work, too much food and, in my case, far too much emotional baggage. As for the mythology, well, the historical reality is much more grim and complicated than Pilgrims and Native Americans rubbing shoulders over the land’s bounty.
But the general notion of giving thanks? All for it, even if it involves football. This year, alas, war, inflation, the climate crisis, never-ending political division and a general mood of pessimism — on top of everything, “Blue Bloods” is ending! — may leave some of us a bit speechless when the group is asked to go ‘round the table and list what they’re thankful for. So I’m working on my cheat sheet early. Feel free to crib on the big day if necessary.
A few very random things I am thankful for in 2023, in no particular order:
Rain. California is officially and completely drought-free. Earlier this year, when unexpected atmospheric rivers battered much of the state with at-times catastrophic amounts rain and snow, giving thanks was the last thing on anyone’s mind. But in the aftermath, the bright side shone through — the hills were green, Yosemite’s waterfalls returned, the wildflower Super Bloom was historic, lakes reappeared, reservoirs filled, and the state’s had its second relatively mild fire season in a row. Days and weeks of rain also gave Angelenos the opportunity to actually use all those stylish rain boots … and the rare chance to rejoice when the sun came out.
The writers’ and actors’ strikes are over. Obviously, the studios should have offered acceptable contracts on Day One, and yes, both crew members and animators have contract negotiations on the horizon. But for a minute there, it looked like some folks would be eating turkey sandwiches on the picket lines, and now they’re not. The question is, will Hollywood continue its tradition of shutting down for the holidays or will the industry do some serious catch-up?
TikTok star Kelsey Russell. By re-introducing the glories of newspapers to a new generation, the Columbia graduate student is doing her best to make print media hot again. As someone who works for a legacy media company and is tired of playing whack-a-mole with digital ads, I’m here for it. Light that single candle, Kelsey.
“The Graham Norton Show.” Easily the greatest celebrity talk show host in the history of television, Graham Norton provides endless entertaining content for all screens. If you lose at least an hour a day watching clips from his BBC One show, raise your hand with me. And when I say “lose” I mean “gain,” because where else do A-listers divulge all sorts of embarrassing secrets and have a great time doing so?
Taylor and Travis. When the courtship of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce broke ESPN/the National Football League/the internet, I thought it was ridiculous and quite possibly a publicity stunt. Now, as a person who is neither a Swiftie nor a Chiefs fan, I care far more deeply than makes any sense at all. After seeing Swift help galvanize a troubled nation, and buoy the economies of many cities, including L.A., with her Eras tour, I can’t help hoping she finds the kind of love her lyrics long for with a man who actually appreciates her.
The Vista and the Egyptian. Two historic and recently renovated Los Angeles theaters reopened this month. Quentin Tarantino, who also owns the New Beverly, rescued the 100-year-old Vista Theatre, located at the border of Los Feliz and East Hollywood, while Netflix purchased the 101-year-old Egyptian Theatre, Hollywood’s first movie palace. Amid the endless fretting over dwindling box office — due in large part, and with great irony, to Netflix — the increasingly homogenized theatrical experience and the slow extinction of bricks-and-mortar everything, the dual resurrections offers hope for us all.
Electric cars and solar power. More precisely, that more people are driving them and using it. A record 25% of cars sold in California this year were electric or otherwise zero-emission, which is a very good thing. And the U.S. solar energy industry expects to increase by 53%, or an additional 32 gigawatts in the same span. Neither development alone will end the climate crisis, but every little bit helps.
Meryl Streep and Martin Short on “Only Murders in the Building.” “The Golden Bachelor” has taken all the credit for reminding the world that people over 60 are human beings who churn with longing for love, sex and romance, but it was the sweet and sexy relationship between flamboyant theater producer Oliver (Short) and late-blooming star Loretta (Streep) that provided the real l’amour d’or this year. (As a bonus, Streep proved, as if any proof was required, that you don’t have to be under 30 to rock braids.)
Christmas catalogs. Into a world increasingly defined by digital blur and the threat of AI replacing everyone comes the comforting slap of festive print catalogs with their panoply of wares and familiar display copy. Once upon a time they were a nuisance; now they provide a bridge to a long-ago world when the Sears Wish Book defined our dreams and people actually placed orders by telephone. How do you know the holidays are indeed upon us? Because the Signals catalog has arrived.
The northbound FasTrak connector between the 105 and the 110. For those departing LAX (or the The Times’ El Segundo headquarters) on the eastbound 105, traffic is inevitably ghastly. But for those equipped with FastTrak, the connection to the northbound Harbor Freeway almost makes it worth it. Breaking away from gridlock, you soar above the noise and haste in a graceful curve that offers a breathtaking view of downtown, the majestic San Gabriel Mountains (occasionally snow-capped), the Hollywood Hills and even the Hollywood sign. For a few blessed moments, it is possible to remember precisely why you live here.
Porto’s Bake At Home. Did you know you can get Porto’s potato balls, chicken empanadas, meat pies and other delectables frozen and delivered to your home? Well, now you do. You can thank me over Thanksgiving dinner.