November 28, 2021

Title: NEW DRAPES

Constructor: Zhouqin Burnikel

Editor: Erik Agard

Theme Answers:

JAMES SPADER (16A: "The Blacklist" star)

SAN DIEGO PADRES (38A: California baseball team)

POINT SPREAD (65A: Oddsmaker's number)

Theme synopsis: The last words of the theme answers - SPADER, PADRES, SPREAD - are all anagrams of the word DRAPES.

Things I learned:

• MODEL (1A: HoYeon Jung, for one) HoYeon Jung has been a MODEL since she was 16, and has modeled for many fashion designers, including Marc Jacobs, Chanel, and Max Mara. She has been featured in campaigns for Sephora and Gap. In between modeling jobs, HoYeon Jung would sometimes return to her home country of South Korea, where she recently took acting lessons. She made her acting debut as Kang Sae-byeok in the 2021 Netflix TV series, Squid Game. 
• JAMES SPADER (16A: "The Blacklist" star) JAMES SPADER plays the role of Raymond "Red" Reddington in the TV series, The Blacklist. On the show, JAMES SPADER's character is a former U.S. Navy Officer who became a high-profile criminal. After evading capture for decades, he turns himself in to the FBI, and offers to help them track down criminals in exchange for immunity.
• NORA (61A: Author ___ Okja Keller) NORA Okja Keller wrote Comfort Woman, published in 1997, and Fox Girl, published in 2002. The two novels deal with the topic of multigenerational trauma resulting from Korean women's experiences as sex slaves for Japanese troops during World War II. NORA Okja Keller identifies as Korean American. She was born in South Korea, and grew up in Hawaii.
• ELI (68A: ___ Edwards, pen name for Claude McKay) The Jamaican-American writer and poet Claude McKay was a central figure in the Harlem Renaissance. In 1917, McKay wrote two poems, "Invocation" and "The Harlem Dancer," under the pseudonym ELI Edwards. I did not know Claude McKay's pseudonym, but I have previously written about McKay's poem, "If We Must Die," when it was a theme answer for the December 10, 2020 puzzle. 
• CELLO (72A: Alisa Weilerstein's instrument) Alisa Weilerstein has given CELLO performances all over the world. She is the recipient of a 2011 MacArthur Fellowship.
• OKRA (9D: Amala de Xango vegetable) Amalá de Xangô is a dish made of OKRA, onion, dried shrimp, and palm oil. Traditionally decorated with 12 upright uncooked OKRA, amalá de Xangô is a ritual dish in the Yoruba religion.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• DADE (31A: Miami ___ College) Miami DADE College is located in Miami, Florida in Miami-DADE County. Its mascot is Finn the Shark.
• I DO (43A: Phrase spoken under a chuppah) A chuppah is a canopy that Jewish couples stand under during their wedding.
• SUMO (55A: Rikishi's sport) "Rikishi" is a term for a professional SUMO wrestler. Rikishi live by a set of strict lifestyle rules, including growing their hair long.
• DIM SUM (3D: Lo mai gai, turnip cakes, etc.) DIM SUM is a variety of small dishes served in restaurants, commonly for breakfast and lunch. A classic DIM SUM dish, lo mai gai is glutinous rice filled with chicken and other ingredients, wrapped in a grape leaf or dried lotus leaf, and steamed.
• CREPE (8D: Pancake served with beurre Suzette) CRÊPEs Suzette is a French dessert of CRÊPEs with beurre Suzette (a sauce of cartelized sugar and butter), tangerine or orange juice and zest. It is topped with Grand Marnier, triple sec, or orange Curaçao liqueur, and flambéed.
• AVOCADOS (11D: Milkshake ingredients) I'll be honest, AVOCADOS were not the first ingredients that came to mind when I thought of milkshakes. A Google search provides many recipes for AVOCADO milkshakes; this one has gotten good reviews. 

Geography review:

• PALACE (21A: Potala ___ (Lhasa landmark)) The Potala PALACE is located in China in the city of Lhasa in the Tibet Autonomous Region. It is built in the Dzong style of architecture, used to build fortified monasteries. The Potala PALACE served as the winter palace of the Dalai Lamas from 1649 to 1959. The building is now a museum, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994. 
• IRAN (54A: Neighbor of Turkmenistan) Turkmenistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia. In addition to IRAN, its neighbors are Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan. Turkmenistan also borders the Caspian Sea. (Bonus fact: The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland sea.) The capital of Turkmenistan is Ashgabat.
• DELAWARE (10D: Dover's state) Dover is the capital of DELAWARE. It is also the county seat of Kent County, DELAWARE. Dover and its county were named for Dover in Kent, England.
• ENG (47D: Official language of Guyana (Abbr.)) Guyana is a South American country. Located on the northern coast of South America, Guyana borders the Atlantic Ocean. Its neighbors are Brazil, Venezuela, and Suriname. The capital of Guyana is Georgetown. Guyana recognizes ten indigenous languages, and its official language is ENGlish.
• MOTTO (56D: "Ua Mau ke Ea o ka 'Aina i ka Pono," for Hawaii) The state MOTTO of Hawaii, "Ua Mau ke Ea o ka 'Āina i ka Pono," means "The Life of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness."

A fun anagram theme today presented in an asymmetrical grid. I particularly liked the lower left corner of the grid with the trio of SINISTER, ADORABLE, and NOT AGAIN. I feel like there's a story that corner could tell! This puzzle was an enjoyable way to begin my Sunday.