Ten things that are so hot right now

1. Aubrey Plaza: So you probably only know this standup comic from her bit part as a weird office intern on mockumentary Parks and Recreation, and a minor role in recent comedy feature Funny People. She's drier than a sack of hay, and she can even make Sarah Silverman funny. That's a miracle.

2. Ad-free TV: Whether you Tivo, MySky, fast-forward or use other, dodgier, methods, sitting through three-minute ad breaks every 10 minutes is so 2007. Can you imagine watching The Wire like that?

3. Charlotte Gainsbourg: The French chanteuse worked with Beck on her really-very-good new album IRM. Check out the folky stomp of Heaven Can Wait and get ready to fall head over heels.

4. The Powerstation: Until the St James gets up and running again, this is officially Auckland's hottest live venue. Everyone from Raekwon to The Pixies will perform there over the next couple of months, so get into it.

5. Old '80s hip-hop and R&B: Break out your old Young MC, Warren G, Pharcyde, A Tribe Called Quest and Montell Jordan cassette tapes, crank up your ghettoblaster, chalk out a breakdancing pad on your lino and kick it like 1987.

6. New MIA songs leaking: About time, I reckon. Check out the woozy Major Lazer song Sound of Siren, and There's Space for Ol Dat I See, both reportedly from an upcoming new album due later this year.

7. Surf City: The pick of the newbie local acts at Laneway should have their debut album ready this year. To prepare, air out your animal costume, watch Dickshakers Union again and track down some good ear plugs. They're pretty noisy.

8. Kristen Wiig: She's been on Flight of the Conchords, Saturday Night Live, Walk Hard, Ghost Town and Whip It, and her awkward monologues are always guaranteed laughs. Here's the Conchords song dedicated to her.

9. MacGruber: Like MacGyver, but updated for the 21st century and with added goofiness. But whether we'll get to see it is anyone's guess.

10. Hungarian pizza bread: Worth queueing for two hours at the recent Laneway music festival, apparently.

What are your favourite hot things?

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