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In the gloom of quarantine, WW’s My Essential Seven series was born. For more than a year, we asked actors, musicians, playwrights and others about the things they considered necessary in their life, from friends and family to coffee and water bottles.
The series was a way to compensate for a lack of live in-person events, but it became something more. At a grim time, it was a celebration of the individuals, places and objects, both important and trivial, that helped people endure.
As we’ve reached the start of a new year—my second as WW’s assistant arts and culture editor—I decided it was time to share my own Essential Seven. Over the years, the things on this list have brought me joy. Maybe they will for you too.
1. American Dream Pizza
Much of my childhood was spent at American Dream’s Northeast Glisan Street location, where my parents would order slices and I would munch on breadsticks. Pizza was a family ritual, as important as impassioned literary discussions (I’m the son of two English majors).
I still frequent American Dream, sometimes for a giant-ass calzone or a chocolate chip cookie so deliciously buttery I can barely finish it. But the real reason I keep coming back is because the restaurant is like an echo of my childhood, distant yet present.
2. Cinema 21
Movies are a massive part of my life—and my friends and former co-workers at Cinema 21 remain part of my movie family. One of them once wisely observed that the best part of seeing a film is when the lights go up and you start talking, arguing, connecting. Time and time again, Cinema 21 has shown that to be true.
3. Hendricks Park
When I was earning my master’s degree in journalism at the University of Oregon, I started wandering the neighborhood in the hills above campus. Eventually, I came upon an old-fashioned street lamp, like the one that marks the gateway to Narnia in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
What I found was no less wondrous. Wooded and filled with winding trails, Hendricks Park is a pocket of serenity in a bustling city. During one of the last times I visited, I returned from a hike to find several deer gathered around my bike, a perfect moment in a perfect place.
4. Manzanita
There is almost nothing to do in Manzanita. This is a good thing—it’s a rare beach town on the Oregon Coast that’s entirely free of frantic energy. Walk or bike on the beach and you’ll feel the silvery waves wiping the anxiety from your soul (yearly visits should be mandatory for stressed-out journalists). And don’t miss the pizza at Marzano’s or the waffle fries at Yolk.
5. My piano
While I don’t take lessons anymore, playing the piano continues to be a vital part of my life. Lately, I’ve been learning Lady Gaga’s “Free Woman” and Bruce Springsteen’s “Janey Don’t You Lose Heart.”
6. Podcasts
Like most speaking humans, I spent hours and hours podcasting during quarantine. Together, me and my friend (and WW contributor) Josh O’Rourke analyzed whatever we fancied, from Star Wars’ best lightsaber duels to Donnell Rawlings’ “He stole that guy’s pizza!” cameo in Spider-Man 2. Saying our recording sessions helped keep me sane is an epic understatement.
7. Toys
One of my favorite Essential Seven interviews was with the great choral composer Lisa Neher, who shared her passion for cuddly stuffed animals—a passion I share. One of my favorites is a squishy, fuzzy avocado with a smiley face. These days, everyone should have an emotional-support avocado.