May 15, 2021

Title: DAILY ROUTINE

Constructor: Mark McClain

Editors: Erik Agard & Amanda Rafkin

Theme Answers:

BREADSTICKS (20A: Appetizers also known as grissini)

PAPER SNOWFLAKES (40A: Winter decorations made with scissors)

SHOW STOPPER (58A: Dazzling performance)

Theme synopsis: The first part of each theme answer can be paired with the word DAILY. Our ROUTINE includes: DAILY BREAD, DAILY PAPER, and the DAILY SHOW. 

Things I learned:

• SCAT (10A: Improvise like Betty Carter) Betty Carter was a bass singer especially known for her SCAT singing. Born in 1929, when she first began singing at the age of 16, she was too young to get into bars without using forged documents. In 1961, she made a recording of duets with Ray Charles, simply titled Ray Charles and Betty Carter. In 1969, Betty Carter created her own independent record label, Bet-Car records.
• BREADSTICKS (20A: Appetizers also known as grissini) I have eaten (and enjoyed!) many BREADSTICKS, but was unfamiliar with the term "grissini." Grissini is the Italian term for BREADSTICKS, whose origins date back to the 1670s. The Duke of Savoy, Vittorio Amedeo II, was a sickly child who had difficulty digesting many foods. The court doctor asked Antonio Brunero, a baker from Torino, to create a food the young Duke could digest. Grissini, made of long, thin strips of dough, was the result.
• I AM (47A: "The Man Who Cried ___") The Man Who Cried I AM is a 1967 book by John Alfred Williams.  The best-selling novel narrates the lives of two writers, while depicting the lingering racism still prevalent in the post-civil-rights era.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• SONIC (18A: Hedgehog who battles Doctor Eggman) SONIC is the title hedgehog of the video game and media franchise, SONIC the Hedgehog. Doctor Eggman is the main antagonist of the series. 
• LEONI (36A: "Madam Secretary" star Tea) The TV series, Madam Secretary, ran from 2014 to 2019. Téa LEONI played U.S. Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord, a former CIA analyst and political science professor. 
• RAE (46A: Actress and producer Issa) If you use Google Assistant, you can have it talk in Issa RAE's voice, by saying, "Ok Google, talk like Issa."
• SHELDON (52A: Good name for a pet turtle) If you don't want to name your turtle SHELDON (a play on "Shell don"), here are 100 other suggestions. 
• ATONE (66A: Observe Yom Kippur) Yom Kippur is a Jewish holiday also known as the Day of ATONEment.
• IRWIN (69A: Conservationist Terri) Terri IRWIN is the owner of Australia Zoo in Beerwah, Queensland. She was married to Steve IRWIN, and co-starred with him in their wildlife documentary TV series, The Crocodile Hunter. 
• SHE (10D: "___ Loves Me" (1963 musical)) The musical, SHE Loves Me, is an adaptation of a 1937 play, Parfumerie. The 1998 movie, You've Got Mail, was also based on Parfumerie. I enjoyed all the musical references in this puzzle, with this clue and RENT (17A: 1996 Tony Winner for Best Musical), and MIA (24A: "Mamma ___!")
• CACTI (11D: Saguaro National Park sights) Saguaro National Park is located in Pima, Arizona. The giant saguaro CACTI of the Sonoran Desert are a prominent feature of the park. 
• SUNS (30D: "The Warmth of Other ___") The Warmth of Other SUNS: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration is a 2010 book by Isabel Wilkerson. The book discusses the migration of Black Americans from the southern United States to other sections of the country during the years 1915 to 1970.
• OKRA (37D: Gumbo ingredient) Gumbo is the official state cuisine of Louisiana. The soup consists of meat or shellfish, celery, bell peppers, and onions. Wikipedia says the dish can be made with or without OKRA, and I'm guessing some people have strong opinions on that matter. 
• ELENA (54D: Hoops star Delle Donne) ELENA Delle Donne plays basketball for WNBA's Washington Mystics. I learned about ELENA from the October 22, 2020, at the same time I learned about the 50-40-90 club, a designation which so far only has one WNBA member.
• EZRA (62D: "Transangelic Exodus" musician Furman) Transangelic Exodus is a 2018 album from singer and guitarist EZRA Furman. I learned about EZRA, and that she provided the soundtrack for the TV show, Sex Education, from the July 14, 2020 puzzle. 
• REFS (63D: NWHL officials) The National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) was established in 2015. There are currently 6 teams in the league.

Geography review:

• ASIA (14A: Jordan's continent) Jordan is a country in Western ASIA, located on the Dead Sea. Its capital is Amman.
• EURO (33A: Coin in Latvia) Latvia is a country in Northern Europe. Its capital is Riga.

A DAILY ROUTINE of eating BREAD, reading the PAPER, and watching The DAILY SHOW? That's a pretty enjoyable ROUTINE. My favorite theme answer today is PAPER SNOWFLAKES. I enjoy making them, and it was fun to see it as an entry. This puzzle was a nice way to begin my Saturday.