Mae Whitman is pretty busy being a hilarious, thoughtful, and ass-kicking actor, but she took some time to tell us what’s been cheering her up lately.
1. Korean spas. Korean spas are actually my favorite thing in the world. I’m not sure what could possibly be better than soaking naked in tea, plunging into icy waters like a salmon, getting your dead skin scrubbed off, and being massaged with milk, honey, and, most of all, love. After my dirtiest, most shameful nights, I go to a Korean spa, scrub the pain away, and walk out a new man.
2. Gold chains. Even though I never wore much jewelry growing up, I was always a silver kind of girl. Something switched around 2010, though, and I started GOING FOR THE GOLD. This was largely due the fact that my best friend, Miles, wears super-cool gold chains all the time. I’ve actually stolen one of his chains, and our family sect on Parenthood has a “chain gang” now. They are so sparkly and delicate, and they make me feel like a damn prince!
3. Driving while listening to loud music. I grew up in Los Angeles, so driving has always been a big part of my life. I spend most of my adult life sitting in traffic, so I had to adopt a new attitude about it. I just got a new hybrid car that I love, and it’s helped me turn those millions of usually wasted hours into zen think-y time! I love wind on skin and sun and night air, so I am basically always riding around top down, a$$ up. The new car has great sound system, so I guess if you see what looks to be the coolest girl you’ve ever seen cruising around the Eastside, it will most likely be me.
4. Snackin’. You’d be hard-pressed to find a moment when I’m not thinking about food. Snackin’ is the best. I dream about certain foods I want to eat, then I wake up and immediately drive to the restaurant that makes it. I eat so much that an ex-boyfriend of mine sincerely asked if I had a tapeworm. Life is for living, and food is for stuffing in my face at an alarming rate. Current faves: sushi, burritos, green juice, my friend Jane’s homemade muesli, and scotch and sodas.
5. Shorts with boots. I dress for comfort—you’ll rarely find me in anything that I couldn’t wear to a spontaneous stretching party. Every time I leave my house I have this overwhelming fear, like, What if today is the day it all goes to shit—the big apocalypse? Do I really want to be wearing a miniskirt and espadrilles as I clod through the forest, fighting off zombies? No. Not worth it. I welcome the elements on my skin (established in factoid #3), so you’ll usually find me in jean shorts, cutoff overalls, or Rachel Antonoff track shorts with my weird one-of-a-kind canvas work boots that I got from a special shop in the Bay Area. PLAN FOR THE WORST, BROS. You’ll thank me when you’re elected leader of your post-societal outlaw gang, simply because people respect your thoughtful choice of footwear.
B-B-B-Bonus Round: Crosswords. I’m so sorry—I couldn’t resist. You will almost never find me without a crossword puzzle on my person. Half-finished Sundays are littered all around various places in my life like wordy security blankets. I get anxious if I don’t have daily access to the New York Times, so I ask my friend to buy one and text a picture to me! I’m not a fan of physical exercise, so crosswords feel like a good way for me to at least keep up a mental workout. ♦