March 29, 2021

Title: INN THE BACK

Constructor: Stella Zawistowski

Editor: Erik Agard

Theme Answers:

GOLDEN KNIGHTS (20A: Vegas NHL team)

SOUTHERN COMFORT (39A: Liqueur in an Alabama slammer)

BILLIE HOLIDAY (56A: The lady in "Lady Sings the Blues")

Theme synopsis: Placing the BACK word of each theme answer in front of the word INN creates the name of a hotel chain. We have KNIGHTS INN, COMFORT INN, and HOLIDAY INN.

Things I learned:

• OMAR (66A: Michael K. Williams role on "The Wire") The Wire is a TV series set and produced in Baltimore. Each season of the show focused on a Baltimore institution and its relationship to law enforcement. During its five seasons, the show examined the illegal drug trade, the seaport system, city government, education, and the newspaper industry. Michael K. Williams played the role of OMAR, a stick-up man who robbed drug dealers for a living.
• IRIS (11D: Fashion icon Apfel) I had heard the name of IRIS Apfel, but did not know much about her. In 1950, IRIS and her husband Carl launched a textile firm, Old World Weavers. The firm became known for its blend of "sophisticated historical design, and an exotic, world-travelled aesthetic." IRIS took part in design restoration projects, including work at the White House for nine different presidents. IRIS has become known for her exotic, multi-cultural style. In 2005, The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art created an exhibition of her style titled, Rara Avis (Rare Bird): The Irreverent IRIS Apfel. She is the star of the 2014 documentary, IRIS, and in 2018, Mattel created a Barbie doll in her image. She is the oldest person to have a Barbie made in her image. In 2012, at the age of 90, IRIS Apfel became a visiting professor at the University of Texas at Austin. In 2019, at the age of 97, she signed a modeling contract. What fun to learn more about IRIS Apfel today!

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• ANTI (17A: Rihanna album with "Work" and "Woo") ANTI, released in 2016, was Rihanna's eighth album. The album was included in Rolling Stone's 2020 list of the "500 Best Albums of All Time," ranking number 230.
• SUN (23A: "A Raisin in the ___" (Hansberry play)) A Raisin in the SUN by Lorraine Hansberry tells about the experiences of a Black family in south Chicago. The play debuted on Broadway in 1959 with Sidney Poitier playing the role of Walter Lee Younger, and Ruby Dee playing the role of Ruth Younger. It was the first play written by a Black woman to be produced on Broadway.
• BTS (25A: J-Hope's band) J-Hope is a rapper, songwriter and record producer. He is one of the seven members of the South Korean boy band, BTS.
• MAE (33A: Astronaut Jemison) MAE Jemison is an engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut. She was a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Endeavor, becoming the first Black woman to travel into space. She was also the first real-life astronaut to appear on Star Trek. In 1993, she appeared in "Second Chances," an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
• SOUTHERN COMFORT (39A: Liqueur in an Alabama slammer) SOUTHERN COMFORT is a fruit-flavored liqueur first produced by bartender Martin Wilkes Heron in 1874 at a bar in New Orleans. In addition to SOUTHERN COMFORT, an Alabama Slammer contains amaretto, sloe gin, and orange juice.
• BILLIE HOLIDAY (56A: The lady in "Lady Sings the Blues") Lady Sings the Blues is the name of BILLIE HOLIDAY's 1956 autobiography, as well as the title of a 1972 film about the jazz singer. The same year her autobiography was released, BILLIE HOLIDAY released an album titled Lady Sings the Blues, which contained a song of the same name.
• AUNTS (10D: They might spoil their niblings) Nibling is a non-gender specific term which can be used to refer to the children of one's siblings. 
• ROOT (36A: Part that's aboveground on a mangrove tree) Mangrove trees grow in coastal areas in tropical and subtropical areas around the world. Part of a mangrove's adaptation to allow it to live in harsh conditions is a complex ROOT system that is partially aboveground.
• HALAL (40A: OK to eat, in Islam) In Islamic dietary laws, the term HALAL designates foods that are lawful or allowed, in contrast to haram, the designation for forbidden foods.

Geography review:

• GOLDEN KNIGHTS (20A: Vegas NHL team) The Vegas GOLDEN KNIGHTS are based in the Las Vegas, Nevada metropolitan area, and are in the West Division of the National Hockey League (NHL). The GOLDEN KNIGHTS began playing in the 2017-2018 NHL season.

Welcome to this puzzle - if you'd like to stay awhile, you have your choice of INNS. This is a nice set of theme answers. I enjoyed many of the clues in this puzzle. Shoutout to the particularly entertaining clue for TPS (51A: "Decorates" with Charmin, for short) - ha! I also found it appropriate that the clue for ERA (63D: "It's the end of an ___") was the end of this puzzle. I greatly enjoyed learning more about IRIS Apfel today. This puzzle was an enjoyable way to begin my Monday.