Exclusively good news
Because it's just one of those days where we need it.
Shit is bleak. The sun is setting earlier, the president’s dementia is escalating right alongside all our seasonal affective disorders, we lost the icon Diane Keaton, the northeast is getting battered by storms, Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau are for real, and a 50-something male eye doctor called me (32) aging to my face. So I decided we all need and deserve a bit of lightness today. May this newsletter hit you like a cozy pair of slippers and a cuppa.
In Israel/Gaza: It was a day of immense joy and profound sorrow all at once: for the first time in years, parents got to hug their kids again, kids got to hug their parents again, and siblings and couples and families and friends were finally reunited. All remaining living Israeli hostages were released, as well as nearly 2,000 Palestinians, most of whom had been detained by Israel without any charges since October 7, 2023. A ceasefire is holding, and millions of people will sleep better tonight. A sweet boy in Gaza found his cat and can’t wait to go back to school. Two little girls in Israel finally got to play with their dad. It was a good day.
Hot tips: If you’re looking for a coalition on the ground of Israelis and Palestinians to support as Gaza is rebuilt, I cannot suggest one more highly than Standing Together. Donate to World Central Kitchen, which recently opened up two new high-capacity kitchens in Gaza, and the Thamra Project, an organization working toward food sovereignty and self-sufficiency in Gaza. Remember that this is just the beginning, and now we must push toward a long-term solution that is peaceful, equitable, and just for every single person from Jerusalem to Ramallah to Tel Aviv to Gaza.
Exclusively good tips:
Trump had a brief moment of self-awareness and acknowledged the reality that he is not going to heaven, a huge weight lifted off a surprisingly non-confrontational Satan’s shoulders.
A bunch of airports are refusing to show a (definitely illegal) video made by Kristi Noem, in which she blames Democrats for the government shutdown. If only the person doing her injections also learned to say no.
Meanwhile, news outlets are rejecting the Pentagon’s proposed new press policies that (long story short) would stop them from reporting about any war group chats their editors got added to—or really, anything else out of the Defense Dept. besides daddy sideburns doing good job at war and pushups.
AMC is rereleasing Annie Hall and Something’s Gotta Give in 100 US cinemas to honor Diane Keaton.
Something very important happened on Weekend Update, which was chicken soup for the outgoing nerd who grew up in the 2000s’ soul.
How to: Not put up with their bullshit. Finally. A masterclass via George Stephanopoulos.
Silly rebrands that are all real: The Philadelphia Museum of Art is now the Philadelphia Art Museum. Apple TV+ is now Apple TV. Lays is still Lays, but now featuring the v comforting phrase “made with real potatoes” on every bag. I shudder to wonder what we were eating before.
Get cozy af this week:
This Brooklinen plush robe is on sale.
Bake these apple pie cookies from Broma Bakery.
Try this chic full set nail kit from new brand Celisse—featuring a cuticle serum that is mess-free (!) and smells great (?!)
Wash your sheets. Make some tea. Light a candle. Hang out with your friends.
Rinse, repeat.
Previously on Hot Tip:
Alex I need you to make this a recurring column, my soul needs more exclusively good news. Thank you for focusing on the positive during such an insane time!
Please, a spinoff sitcom about "surprisingly non-confrontational Satan" 🙏🏻