Lea Thompson

LOS ANGELES - There's no place like home. That's the attitude of Lea Thompson, who was among the stars of ABC and ABC Family at a Tuesday night party for TV critics. Thompson, who was born in Rochester and raised in Minneapolis, said she thinks "every day" about how it might have been better to raise her daughters in Minnesota. The "Back to the Future" star and current cast member of ABC Family's "Switched at Birth" finally got to film in her home state. She's part of "Thin Ice," which also stars Greg Kinnear.

The party was low on celebrities - none of the women from "Desperate Housewives" and no big names from "Modern Family" - but I did get a chance to talk extensively to "SNL" veteran Ana Gasteyer, a scene stealer on "The Middle." She may not have been the most successul SNL member, but we chatted about how she, along with Molly Shannon and Cheri Oteri, really changed the atmosphere at the show by finally giving females a strong voice. It may be a stretch, but if it wasn't for Gasteyer, there might not have been a chance for Tina Fey and Kristen Wiig to shine.

Other people spotted at the event: James Van Der Beek, Kristen Chenoweth and Andie McDowell. .