February 13, 2023
February 2023
Happy Videos
News That Makes Us Happy
Tired of Doom-Scrolling on your phone? Samesies! We have rounded up some of the happiest headlines from around the internet and put them in one place.
TikTok Food Reviewer helps struggling food truck
On the way home from a bike ride, Keith Lee came across a new food truck that interested him because he had never seen it before. When Lee, who has a shellfish allergy, noticed that the menu included seafood, he explained that he couldn’t eat anything due to his allergy. Gary Shanks, the owner of Southern Taste Seafood food truck that was struggling to survive, offered to make him something else but would use separate bowls and oil to accommodate Lee, if he would come back the next day. Lee returned the next morning to enjoy his allergy-free meal and posted a now-viral video about his experience. That video has resulted in the owner receiving $30,000 in donations in 24 hours.
https://afrotech.com/tiktoks-keith-lee-helps-las-vegas-food-truck-owner-raise-30k
Dolly FTW: New rock album in the works and hopes to reunite legends
Dolly Parton has confirmed that she will officially make a rock album titled, RockStar and one of her goals for the project? Reunite Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and Robert Plant on it. That may be a tough feat, but if anyone can do it, it’s Dolly. The upcoming album will also include features from Paul McCartney, John Fogerty, Stevie Nicks, Cher, Joan Jett, Pink, Steve Perry & Aerosmith.
https://www.today.com/popculture/music/dolly-parton-rock-album-guest-musicians-rcna67208
NBA Player Marcus Smart Scores Transformation for Children’s Hospitals
Celtics basketball star lost his brother and mother to cancer, but he has turned his pain into his purpose, working to ensure children confined to hospital beds could still have a social life and some semblance of a childhood. That’s truly a game changer.
Read more here: https://theathletic.com/3700379/2022/10/24/marcus-smart-boston-childrens-hospital-innovation/
Maybe Bob Marley was right: Listening to birds singing can reduce anxiety & paranoia, study suggests
When you next hear cheerful twittering of birds, you should stop and listen: new study suggests that listening to birdsong reduces anxiety and paranoia. Learning more about the sweet song stylings of Mother Nature here:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-20841-0
What We Are Watching
- Abbott Elementary (Comedy)
Quinta Brunson delivers a sitcom that totally deserves straight A’s. The sitcom is equal parts funny and heart-warming, while being relatable on multiple levels. If you like workplace comedies like The Office or shows with adorable kids, then jump in the pick-up line and grab your laughs.
- Kaleidoscope (Thriller)
This limited series Netflix’s latest nonlinear storytelling experiment has a lot of the key elements of a good heist story, with one key difference… the episodes are not in order. Instead, the segments are served up in seemingly random order delivering chunks of the story with pieces of the larger puzzle that keep you guessing. If you haven’t checked it out, we suggest watching in this order: Red, Violet, Green, Blue, Yellow, Orange, Pink, White
- Below Deck (Reality)
Captain Lee starts us off on our voyage and hands over the vessel over to the only person that runs a tighter ship, Captain Sandy. That is where things start to get really spicy. Rachel is back in the Galley, delivering 8 course tasting menus that take all night. Fraser is trying to keep his 2nd stew Alissa from gathering 3rd stew Camille’s whole life. Each charter guest is more impossible than the last and the unpredictable Caribbean weather doesn’t help matters at all. Five star mess on the high seas in a super yacht. What’s not to love?
- The Menu (Horror/Comedy)
Not really in the mood to binge a show? Well, a movie could be just what you’re looking for. a bunch of people who go to a very exclusive restaurant on a private island where the chef, played by Ralph Fiennes, serves them a meal they will never forget. What can possibly go wrong? It is so smartly written. It builds. It fakes you out. It dangles revelations and then pays them off beautifully. It's funny. It's dark. Watch it with your most obnoxious foodie friend, and you'll enjoy the hell out of it, even if they might not.
What We're Reading
Fiction
- Our Missing Heart by Celeste Ng
- The Storyteller’s Death by Ann Davila Cardinal
- Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
Non-Fiction
- Inciting Joy by Ross Gay
- The Choreography of Everyday Life by Annie B. Parson
- Spare by Prince Harry
Read any good books lately? Send us your tip, so we can spread the word!
Happy Finds
As a small business, we love to support other small brands that make amazing gifts for someone special, especially if that person is you! Here 3 of our favorite things that our team has bought and loved.
Happy Wax: Wax Warmers & Melts
Face Halo: Makeup Remover that works using water
Imagination Starters: Chalkboard Placemats
Spilling the Tea
Want to catch up on celebrity gossip, but don’t want to get sucked into the social media rabbit-hole? Here is a quick recap of happy celebrity news that will make you smile from digital water cooler this week.
Welcome to Mommy-hood!
Keke Palmer, Hillary Swank expecting twins, Rumer Willis and Naomi Osaka are just a few of the many celebrities that have announced that they will be new parents this year. Someone send them some True Lemon Kids!
Fabulous in Fenty?
Sheryl Lee Ralph was a model in Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty Vol. 4 show and delivered an incredible performance of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" at the Super Bowl ahead of Riri’s halftime show (there was some football as intermission). This Dream Girl is our reminder that dreams do not have an age limit! We are here for being fabulous at any age!
Changing the Game
Speaking of celebrating the evolution of women, can we say that women over 50 are having a moment in Hollywood right now? In an industry that is widely known for its erasure of women after a certain age, these women are triumphantly celebrating the honor that they rightfully deserve, and we must say… it’s about time.
A huge “Hell Yes” to Angela Bassett’s landmark Golden Globes win for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture playing Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Jaw dropping “Yasss” vibes for Mihelle Yeoh for her Best Actress acceptance speech for her performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once. Yeoh owned her win, commanded the stage, shocked the room by announcing that she had recently turned 60 and refused to cut short by an over-eager piano player.
Heartfelt “You Go Girl” to Jennifer Coolidge for the numerous wins for her portrayal of Tanya McQuoid for 2 seasons on The White Lotus and is reclaiming her place as an icon after years of unapologetically leaning into cougar energy and owning every role, no matter the size.
We would love to hear your feedback! Tell us what you thought of the Happiness Round-Up: