Mets' venue before Citi Field / MON 8-3-2020 / Hawaiian porch / 12, for 1/3, 1/4 and 1/6: Abbr. / Protected at sea / Tuesday, in Toulouse

Constructor: Eric Bornstein

Relative difficulty: Easy




THEME: JUST A PHASE — Theme answers begin with phases of matter.

Theme answers:

• GAS STATION (17A: Where to go for a fill-up)
• SOLID GROUND (22A: Firm place to plant your feet)
• PLASMA SCREEN TV (36A: Viewing options popularized in the 90s)
• LIQUID ASSET (45A: Cash or stock, e.g.)
• JUST A PHASE (57A: The terrible twos, e.g. (one hopes!) ... or the start of 17-, 22-, 36- or 45-Across?)

Word of the Day: OLMEC (30A: Ancient carver of stone heads in Mesoamerica) —

The Olmecs (/ˈɒlmɛks, ˈoʊl-/) were the earliest known major Mesoamerican civilization. Following a progressive development in Soconusco, they occupied the tropical lowlands of the modern-day Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco. It has been speculated that the Olmecs derived in part from the neighboring Mokaya or Mixe–Zoque cultures.

The Olmecs flourished during Mesoamerica's formative period, dating roughly from as early as 1500 BCE to about 400 BCE. Pre-Olmec cultures had flourished since about 2500 BCE, but by 1600–1500 BCE, early Olmec culture had emerged, centered on the San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán site near the coast in southeast Veracruz.^[1] They were the first Mesoamerican civilization, and laid many of the foundations for the civilizations that followed.^[2] Among other "firsts", the Olmec appeared to practice ritual bloodletting and played the Mesoamerican ballgame, hallmarks of nearly all subsequent Mesoamerican societies. The aspect of the Olmecs most familiar now is their artwork, particularly the aptly named "colossal heads".^[3] The Olmec civilization was first defined through artifacts which collectors purchased on the pre-Columbian art market in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Olmec artworks are considered among ancient America's most striking.^[4]

(Wikipedia)

Hi, it's an Annabel Monday! How's everybody holding up? I'm doing pretty okay. I finished my first novel!!! It's a romance novel because I'm cheesy. I also watched like two seasons of Grey's Anatomy, learned how to embroider, baked a bunch, listened to the new Taylor Swift album, made a TikTok account...I'm doing all the quarantine stuff.

AS TO, ON IT, ISN'T, IS IT...this isn't the most interesting fill I've ever seen. I know it's Monday, but we can do a little better, right? At least we avoided my nemesis, ADO. The word of the day, OLMEC, gave me the most trouble because OSU is a rough cross. I used to have a Buckeyes t-shirt which is the only thing that saved me.

The theme was fun, though! Simple and reminiscent of elementary school science class. Perfect for a Monday, if you ask me. I'm glad they included PLASMA, although I don't understand much about how it works. The sun is made of plasma, no? Listen, there's a reason I'm a future librarian and not a future physicist.

Bullets:

• MRS (32D: "The Marvelous ___ Maisel") — Or, the degree Wellesley women were much expected to get. Not so much anymore, thank goodness. An aunt once asked me how I was finding men at Wellesley, and I responded--quite diplomatically, I think--"I'm not finding many." 
• NAAN (53D: Indian flatbread)— Not one of the things I've made during quarantine, surprisingly. I have made challah, though. What has everyone else been up to baking-wise? 
• GLEE (23D: Kind of club for singers) — Alright, show of hands, it's confession time. Who here watched "Glee" religiously while it was airing? I feel like I knew even at the time that it was a total mess of a show, but I watched it anyway, GLEEfully. It's hard to pick a favorite moment, but the time the principal called Kesha "Kay-dollar sign-hah" is a close one. Or the recurring joke that students at the school were bullied by having slushies thrown at them. Lots to unpack. 
• STUDS (40A: Beefcakes)— "Tell me about it, stud." 

Signed, Annabel Thompson

P.S. Rex here, LCD = "lowest common denominator" (31D: 12, for 1/3, 1/4 and 1/6: Abbr.); getting lots of Qs because ... it's not good fill at all, esp for a Monday (this was a Tuesday puzzle, a perfectly fine Tuesday puzzle). OK bye.

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