August 27, 2023

Title: "A TOAST!" (FREESTYLE)

Constructor: Jared Goudsmit

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

Freestyle: This is a themeless puzzle. "A TOAST!" is a nod to DRINKS ALL AROUND (34A: "Booze for everyone at the table!").

Things I learned:

• CHICO (43A:Topo ___ (Mexican mineral water)) Since 2017, the Mexican sparkling water brand, Topo CHICO has been owned by Coca-Cola. 
• BYRON (6D: Ada Lovelace's poet father) I have written multiple times about mathematician Ada Lovelace, who is often regarded as the first computer programmer. Not until I read this clue did I realize that Ada Lovelace's father was the poet Lord BYRON! Ada Lovelace and her father were not close, as her parents separated when she was a baby. It makes me smile to see men clued in reference to the women in their lives, as I have written previously.
• PUNK ROCK (23D: Dead Kennedys music genre) The PUNK ROCK band, the Dead Kennedys formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. During their early years, the band was known for their political and sometimes controversial lyrics. The Dead Kennedys disbanded in 1986, and reformed in 2001 without some of the earlier members.
• TRUE CRIME (30D: "My Favorite Murder" genre) My Favorite Murder is a TRUE CRIME and comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. On each of the weekly episodes, each host selects a TRUE CRIME story to discuss. I am not a fan of the TRUE CRIME genre, so I haven't listened to this podcast. However, I did learn that each episode ends with the hosts saying, "Stay sexy and don't get murdered," which is their catchphrase and the title of their double memoir released in 2019. After that, Georgia Hardtack asks her siamese cat, "Elvis, do you want a cookie?" and Elvis meows. You know I'm a fan of that. (Elvis the cat died in 2020, but a taped recording of his meow is still played to end each episode.)
• SUMO (35D: Chiyonofuji Mitsugu's sport) Chiyonofuji Mitsugu (1955-2016) was a Japanese professional SUMO wrestler.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• AERIAL YOGA (14A: Type of exercise involving a hammock) AERIAL YOGA uses a hammock as a support for traditional YOGA poses. I was able to fill this answer in immediately, as for some time I have been simultaneously intrigued by and frightened of AERIAL YOGA.
• AUG (37A: Barack Obama's birth mo.) When I first read this clue, I thought, "I don't know..." As I started to move on, however, I thought, "Wait a minute, yes I do!" Barack Obama and I share a birth month, which means we've both recently celebrated birthdays. Barack Obama's birthday is AUG. 4. He turned 62 on his most recent birthday (making him a few years older than me).
• BLT (42A: Sandwich initials) We're taking advantage of prime tomato season and having BLTs (bacon, lettuce, tomato) for lunch today. 
• GARY (45A: SpongeBob's pet snail) I knew this at one time, but had to wait for some help from crossing answers to remember it.
• LIPA (53A: "Levitating" singer Dua) "Levitating" is a 2020 song by Dua LIPA. The song features Madonna and Missy Elliott. It occurs to me that the name of this song pairs well with the answer AERIAL YOGA.
• GIANT PANDA (54A: Bamboo-eating creature) The GIANT PANDA, recognizable by its black-and-white coloring, is endemic to China. Bamboo shoots and leaves make up 99% of a GIANT PANDA's diet. Because bamboo is not an efficient food source and provides limited energy, a GIANT PANDA needs to eat as much as 20-30 pounds of bamboo a day.
• ALEX (59A: Lion in the "Madagascar" franchise) This is another one of those facts I knew at one time, but as the first Madagascar movie came out in 2005 (and it's the only one I've seen), I needed the help of some crossing answers to remember it. Ben Stiller provides the voice of ALEX the lion.
• RIDE (4D: Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, e.g.) Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith is a RIDE at Walt Disney's Hollywood Studios. The cars on the RIDE are designed to look like a stretch limo, and each one has a license plate that determines which Aerosmith song is heard during the ride. For example, riders in the limo featuring the UGOBABE license plate hear the songs "Love in an Elevator" and "Walk This Way." 
• ROMANCE LANGUAGE (7D: Spanish, French or Italian) ROMANCE LANGUAGE is the term used for a modern language that evolved from Latin and the spoken form of Latin referred to as Vulgar Latin. In addition to Spanish, French, and Italian, Portuguese and Romanian are ROMANCE LANGUAGEs.
• EDGAR (10D: "Normal People" star Daisy ___-Jones) I learned about Daisy EDGAR-Jones, and the TV series Normal People from the June 23, 2020 puzzle.
• GIRL SCOUT (11D: Seller of Caramel deletes) and OREO THINS (12D: Crunchier spinoff of a Nabisco cookie) The upper right section of the grid is a cookie corner, and caused me to wonder what it would be like if GIRL SCOUTs sold OREO THINS...
• DAM (34D: Answer to the joke "What did the fish say when it swam into the wall?") Ha! I am here for jokes in the puzzle.
• BRETT (42D: "Ted Lasso" actor Goldstein) BRETT Goldstein plays the role of Roy Kent on the TV series Ted Lasso. Roy Kent is the captain of the show's soccer team, AFC Richmond, and later becomes an assistant coach.
• GONNA (47D: "It's ___ Be Me" (NSYNC hit)) NSYNC released "It's GONNA Be Me" in 2000. The song hit number one on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. The song's music video depicts NSYNC members as action doll figures in a store.
• CLAW (50D: Part of a cat or crab) This clue makes me wish I had a picture of Willow CLAWing a crab CLAW. Sadly, I don't have such a photo, so instead here's a photo of

  

  Willow

  Willow snoozing on my computer. 
• DIAL (51D: Indiana Jones and the ___ of Destiny") Indiana Jones and the DIAL of Destiny is the fifth and final installment of the Indiana Jones movie series. The movie was released in June of this year.

Geography review:

• TAHOE (1D: Sierra Nevada lake) Lake TAHOE is located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, on the California-Nevada border.
• BOCA (24D: Word before "Raton" or "Burger") BOCA Raton is a city in south Florida, and is part of the Miami metropolitan area. BOCA Burger is a brand of veggie burger that has been on the market since 1979.

There is a lot of interesting and lively fill in this puzzle. Answers I enjoyed that I haven't highlighted yet include: HIGH HOPES, SUPERFLY, and PAGE TURNER. Thank you, Jared, for this puzzle that was an excellent way to start my Sunday.