May 13, 2022

Title: BREAKFAST SIDES

Constructor: Kate Chin Park

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

Theme Answers:

KISS MY GRITS (17A: "Take your attitude and shove it")

PROPOSE A TOAST (39A: Raise a glass, say)

DOING DONUTS (62A: Making circular skid marks at an Oakland sideshow, say)

Theme synopsis: The last words of the theme answers are BREAKFAST SIDES. Today our puzzle comes with SIDES of GRITS, TOAST, and DONUTS.

Things I learned:

• JUAN (32A: Warriors forward Toscano-Anderson) JUAN Toscano-Anderson is a basketball player for NBA's Golden State Warriors. JUAN Toscano-Anderson grew up in Oakland, California, making a nice tie-in with the clue for DOING DONUTS. He wears jersey number 95 as a tribute to his boyhood home on Oakland's 95th Avenue.
• TRIO (43A: The Sanderson Sisters, e.g.) The Sanderson Sisters are a TRIO of witches, and the main antagonists of the 1993 movie, Hocus Pocus (and the upcoming sequel Hocus Pocus 2, set for release this year). The Sanderson Sisters were portrayed in the movie by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy. I've never seen Hocus Pocus, but the answer was easy to infer.
• DOING DONUTS (62A: Making circular skid marks at an Oakland sideshow, say) Today I learned that a sideshow is an informal performance of automotive stunts. Sideshows may be held in vacant lots or public intersections. Sideshows originated in Oakland, California in the 1980s. DOING DONUTS is a popular stunt at sideshows. 
• ANIME (71A: "Yuri on Ice," e.g.) Yuri on Ice is an ANIME about figure skating. The Japanese TV series centers on three figure skaters, two of whom are namedYuri - Japanese figure skater, Yuri Katsuki and Russian skater, Yuri Plisetsky. The third skater is a Russian figure skating champion, Victor Nikiforov. In 2017, Yuri on Ice won all seven awards at the inaugural Crunchyroll ANIME Awards, including Most Heartwarming Scene, Best Couple (Yuri K. and Victor), and Anime of the Year.
• KAABA (12D: Most sacred site in Islam) The KAABA is a building at the center of Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Masjid al-Haram is Islam's most important mosque, and, as the clue informs us, the KAABA is the religion's most sacred site. When Muslims pray, they face in the direction of the KAABA. Pilgrimages to Mecca are completed by circling the KAABA counterclockwise seven times.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• KISS MY GRITS (17A: "Take your attitude and shove it") This answer made me laugh out loud! It reminded me of the character Flo, who was portrayed by Polly Holliday first on the sitcom Alice, and then on the spinoff series, Flo. "KISS MY GRITS!" was Flo's iconic catchphrase. Also, I happen to love GRITS, and am delighted they are included in today's BREAKFAST SIDES.
• TOK (1D: "Tik ___" (Kesha hit)) "Tik TOK" was Kesha's debut single, released in 2009, seven years before the social media app of the same name.
• SIGN (6D: Use ASL or LSQ) ASL is American SIGN Language, and LSQ refers to Quebec SIGN Language (Langue des signes du Québec).
• MOIRA (8D: Herb Ertlinger Fruit Wine spokeswoman Rose) This is a Schitt's Creek reference. On the TV series, MOIRA Rose is portrayed by Catherine O'Hara.
• BATMAN (21D: Character never seen in the same room as Bruce Wayne) I enjoyed this clever clue. Bruce Wayne, of course, is BATMAN's secret identity.
• NO PETS (33D: Rule for some apartments) Willow is outraged at the very

  

  Willow being adorably outraged

  thought of a NO PETS policy. "How could you say NO to this adorable face (and paw)?" she asks.
• SHIVA (51D: "The Destroyer," in Hinduism) SHIVA is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. The triple deity, Trimurti, includes SHIVA the destroyer, Brahma the creator, and Vishnu the preserver.
• INSTA (53D: "The gram") The photo-sharing app, Instagram, is often referred to briefly as "the gram," or "INSTA." As is the case with most of my social media platforms, I was initially introduced to Instagram by my daughter. I primarily use my INSTA account to highlight my (extensive) mug collection.
• KENAN ("SNL" star Thompson) KENAN Thompson has been a cast member of SNL (Saturday Night Live), since 2003. Notably, he was the first SNL cast member to join the show that wasn't born yet when the show first aired. (KENAN Thompson was born in 1978; SNL premiered in 1975. 

Geography review:

• TAMPA (1A: Florida city on a bay) TAMPA is located on the Gulf Coast side of Florida, with coastline on TAMPA Bay and Old TAMPA Bay. TAMPA is the third-most populous city in Florida, after Jacksonville and Miami.
• SAMOA (6A: Ele Opeloge's home country) SAMOA is a Polynesian island country. The capital of SAMOA is Apia. Ele Opeloge is a weightlifter, and the first Samoan to win an Olympic medal. She won a silver medal for weightlifting at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
• PERSIA (22A: Iran's former name) It was in 1935 that the Shah of PERSIA requested the country be referred to as Iran rather than PERSIA, though the change was not readily adopted by other countries. The name of PERSIA was an exonym (a name given to a place by non-natives) coined by the Greeks. If you'd like to learn more, check out this History Hit article.

A fabulous set of theme answers today dishing up the delicious BREAKFAST SIDES of GRITS, TOAST, and DONUTS. I appreciated that all of the SIDES have a different meaning than food in the theme answers. While I don't think this meaning change is essential for theme answers (though I respect those who think differently), it does add an extra touch of elegance. I also enjoyed a couple of bonus theme answers in HENS (57A: Egg layers) and BAKERY (55A: Place to buy fresh loaves). ASK AWAY, SMITTEN, and YEAH NO were great fun to uncover. Thank you, Kate, for this puzzle that was a fabulous way to begin my Friday.