New Years is a trap you shouldn't fall into
Hot tips + predictions for 2025
I finally saw Wicked this weekend and confirmed that Jonathan Bailey’s chemistry is not limited to humans and animals, but also includes books. Yes, I’m pretty sure the books were thrilled to be thrown around by him. On books, I am currently reading What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding by Kristin Newman, because my therapist and I collectively decided I need better sleep hygiene than just falling asleep to Bridget Jones or Home Alone every night, and we’re starting with reading. It’s a super fun, easy read, and the TV version deserves saving.
First, a profound thank you to everyone who read Hot Tip in 2024! It’s a joy and an honor to share my enthusiasm for things (news, politics, tv, recipes, sincere confusion over the “Sexiest Man Alive” decision, etc.) with more than 500 of you. I’ve got big plans for Hot Tip in 2025 and will be in your inbox twice a week. And — if you remain into it — I hope you’ll continue to spread the Hot Tip gospel, too.
Re: New Years. It can be a nice moment for self-reflection but it can also be a less nice, more prolonged existential panic about whether you 1) accomplished enough in the past year and 2) are set up to be the person you aspire to be in the next one. My hot tip? Don’t buy into it. It’s an arbitrary day, just like June 12 or October 35 (I said what I said, time isn’t real.) If you want to use January 1 to get organized or become a morning person or start working out that’s fine, but there’s also nothing wrong with starting on January 7, or not doing anything differently at all. Constant self-evaluation is a trap, and any day can be the day you do the new thing, or don’t. Start tomorrow, start never, finally watch Paddington ten years after it came out (I did that this weekend, too. Highest reco.) Just follow what feels meaningful. I always find that’s a good place to start. Also, if I sound like some incredibly mature, evolved person, I’m pretending, and I’m personally trying not to do the end of year panicky self-eval thing right now. Like right this very second—
Hot Tip’s Monday editions will now feature a week-ahead calendar so you know what’s coming up (or, as the case may be, what happened this week 134 years ago, if I can’t find anything...)
Finally, news will be back later this week because this period of time isn’t real and therefore I have to imagine it isn’t happening?
In the meantime, the last Hot Tip of 2024—
Hot Tip’s hot tips for 2025 that are applicable whenever, not just January 1
Add a little bit of espresso powder when baking with chocolate to make the flavor pop. Also, use more miso in your cooking and baking (it especially goes great with maple syrup for some caramelized veggies.)
They make teabags to be brewed in ice water, specifically. I’m partial to Teapigs and Bigelow Botanicals.
JetBlue remains the best airline for flying economy. Plentiful snacks, more legroom than other airlines, free wifi, + new lounges coming next year. This is my opinion, and also a fact.
Re: flying, everyone will need a “Real ID” to fly domestically starting in mid-2025. If you’re not American, this doesn’t apply to you. Also, marry me?
If you had to cancel your Paris trip this year, you might still get to go next year. I wrote a lil somethin about how that happened to me in 2024.
It’s worth it to buy a machine washable rug for your kitchen.
It’s probably not that hard to make some of the things you’re buying at home. For example: This chai simple syrup takes all of ten minutes and can be used in your morning coffee or in an evening cocktail. (NYE Hot Tip: 1/2 cup of La Marca Prosecco, a dash of gin, a squeeze of lemon, and some of the chai simple syrup for a cozy, wintery cocktail. It’s a bubbly, cold hot toddy. Sort of.)
Use fewer products on your face before bed. Moisturizer, retinol, and Laneige lip sleeping mask. That’s it. + don’t you dare forget SPF in the morning — I like this one from Murad.
You can get discounted, high-end skincare products at Marshall’s + TJ Maxx, like the one I just listed from Murad. But if you want to help me buy things at full price, it costs just $4 a month right now (or $40 for the whole dang year!) to become a paid subscriber to Hot Tip.
If you live on the east side, it’s always worth it to fly out of Burbank — even if it’s cheaper out of LAX. If you live on the west side, move.
You’re not behind, and other people aren’t ahead. Everyone is just on their own timelines.
Jude Law can still rock Mr. Napkin Head.
British and Irish TV shows are simply better. Entry points include, but are not limited to: Catastrophe, Bad Sisters, This Way Up (that’s three Sharon Horgans in a row, but she didn’t appear…sad), Sex Education, Derry Girls, Slow Horses, Fleabag, Killing Eve, Starstruck, Feel Good, We Are Lady Parts, + Extraordinary. Again, this is not an exhaustive list. I plan on binging Downton Abbey next because I need something equal parts boring and beautiful.
The best thing happening on Instagram right now is this account featuring two best friends who build lamps out of things they thrift.
The worst thing happening on Instagram is whatever you’re doing. Stop it.
The funniest thing happening on Instagram is this video about nighttime safety.
Re: Instagram. We could all do with spending less time on Instagram in 2025. But not because we are shaming ourselves, just because Mark Zuckerberg sucks and is donating money earned from our scrolling to the 2025 presidential inauguration.
Use Google Calendar for your digital schedule, and a well-organized planner for your desk. You’ll impress other people and won’t miss anything, ever. (I loved this piece by
on being organized in 2025.)Buy and sell things on Facebook Marketplace instead of throwing away + buying new. Haggle. I sold a lot of my stuff in 2024, redecorated, and made a profit.
Cookbooks are not just decoration (?!) You can in fact use them to cook with. My favorites this year were: Shabbat by Adeena Sussman and Sweet Tooth by Sarah Fennel.
Always ask your friends what they are loving lately. And read what mine had to say.
And, the Hot Tip predictions that will serve as timestamped evidence I am a witch
Donald Trump will sell America to Elon Musk and it will become illegal to talk about how ugly cybertrucks are — so, I better get out of the way now, they are the car version of this:
Cable news ratings will continue to decline and people will search for alternatives (send em my way!), but I will maintain my own parasocial relationships with Jake Tapper, Anderson Cooper, and Wolf Blitzer.
Max & Helen’s in Larchmont Village — Phil Rosenthal’s new diner with chef Nancy Silverton — will become an LA mainstay.
An AI-generated video will cause an actual panic a la War of the Worlds but where that was whimsical and interesting, this will be stupid and probably involve a sharknado.
I will keep falling asleep to my comfort movies because Dakota Fanning does it too and that makes it fine and we are all fine just as we are.
enjoy the seventh night of Hanukkah, which happens to fall on December 31 this year. you have my permission to just consume the f out of Trader Joe’s latkes (with applesauce and sour cream) and fall asleep at 11 if that’s your preference. and you also have my permission to block anyone who says ‘see you next year.’ UGH. <3 , al
I love this! I'm so happy you are going to plan each week of the year ahead for me. Happiest New Year!!!
Bahaha re: ugly cybertrucks. I saw one a few days ago and thought a giant lego truck was ambling towards me. Why does this look like something my kid would build from legos?!