Where-To-Go Wednesday - The Prerogative Project Black Women in Fashion: Works, Play and Legacy

What: The Prerogative Project Black Women in Fashion: Works, Play and Legacy

Where: Macy's Herald Square 

             151 W. 34th St.

             New York, NY

Who: All ages

When: Through February 26, 2025

The winter holiday season is not the only time that Macy's Herald Square location in New York City features a special window display. For one thing, every spring during their yearly flower show, they feature windows incorporating that year's theme. Special window displays are also occasionally created to highlight other special occasions or events.

Currently, Macy's windows feature a display in honor of Black History Month. The Prerogative Project Black Women in Fashion: Works and Play Legacy display focuses on black women who made significant contributions to the fashion world and more. It is being presented by the fashion house, Madamette.

Women highlighted in the display include:

Eunice Johnson -  Publisher, businesswoman, activist, philanthropist, and the wife of Ebony creator, John H. Johnson, she founded Ebony Fashion Fair and Fashion Fair Cosmetics.

Mildred Blount - Milliner, boutique owner, humanitarian, and the first Black person to join the Motion Pictures Costumers Union.

Zelda Wynn Valdes - Fashion designer, Humanitarian, and the first back designer to open a boutique on Broadway.

Ophelia Devore - Model, designer, businesswoman, activist, and one of the first African American models who helped start the Grace Del Marco Agency, one of the first modeling agencies to focus on diversity.

Ann Lowe - The first highly successful African American fashion designer whose clients included Jacqueline Kennedy. 

Lois K. Alexander Lane - Fashion designer, businesswoman, and humanitarian known as much for her advocacy as for her designs.

For more about these remarkable women visit this special windows display or go to www.madamette.com/pages/prerogativeproject

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Theater Thursday.

All pictures used in this post are our own. If there is a problem with any image, contact us here and we will look into the matter.

Tips for Tuesday - Books: The Lost Passenger & Never Planned on You: Movies: Bonus Track

We may have been given complimentary copies and/or access for review purposes to any books, products, and/or any other visual or audio media mentioned below. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

Books:  The Lost Passenger & I Never Planned on You

Today we recommend The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn. Trapped in a loveless marriage with limited access to her son, Elinor uses her escape from the Titanic disaster as an opportunity to disappear and become someone else. Although attempting to escape one's life and become someone else may be a tried-and-true plot device,  this book gives the idea a new and exciting spin with its connection to the actual historical events of the sinking of the Titanic. It has a strong heroine who is easy to root for. Her driving motivation for everything she does is her overwhelming love for and devotion to her son, which makes her quite relatable. There are also plenty of warm and lovely found-family vibes between Elinor and the family that unknowingly take her in believing she is one of their actual family members. All in all, it's a beautiful touching story. 

Today we recommend Never Planned on You by Lindsay Hameroff. After a drunk bet in London leads to matching tattoos and a one-night stand with a stranger, Ali is sure she won't see Graham again although she occasionally thinks of him. Years later, after leaving New York and her work as a chef to return to her hometown, she gets a job planning a high-profile wedding, and the groom turns out to be Graham. As the pair are frequently thrown together as Graham's fiancee's work takes her out of town, Ali quickly realizes, she has feelings for Graham, and he seems to feel the same way.

Although Ali lacks confidence regarding how she thinks others see her, she is strong and competent, with a really kind heart which makes her quite an admirable and likable heroine. It is annoying when she tries to act noble and do what she thinks is best rather than follow her heart and let others do the same. This is a common annoying trait in a book, heroine, however.

Graham is sweet and adorable and imagining hearing him speak in his English accent is just the cherry on top of the sundae of his already enormous charm and appeal. The side characters are mostly lovely too. Ali has great and supportive friends and family members who know her better than she thinks they do. Her and Graham's grandmothers are particularly endearing. 

The book is full of sweet moments between  Ali and Graham plus between Ali and various other characters. Plus, it has a cry-happy ending that feels like something straight out of a movie. If you love a really romantic story, you will enjoy this book.

Bonus Track is a mostly sweet coming-of-age story co-written by Josh O'Connor, an award-winning actor and one of the stars of the multi-award-winning and Oscar-nominated, Challengers. This film revolves around a driftless young boy named George.  George is a complete loser who is failing all his classes even music. Another boy named Max offers to help him in music if George helps him in math, but it turns out Max is quite aware that George would not make a good math tutor, he just wants to get close to George. The film is fairly pleasant and charming but a little bit rushed and underdeveloped. 

Bonus Track is available on Video in Demand for purchase or rental now.

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go Wednesday.

Book images used in this post are our own.  All other photos have been sent to us by publicists, artists, and/or PR firms and are used with permission. If there is a problem with the rights to any image, contact us here, and we will look into the matter.

More Theater Monday - My Man Kono

We received complimentary tickets to My Man Kono for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: My Man Kono

Where: Mezzanine Theatre/A.R.T. NY

             502 W. 53rd St.

             New York, NY 

Who: Recommended for Ages 16 and Up

When: Through March 9, 2025

Once again Pan Asian Repertory shines a light on a little-known aspect of history. This time, it's the story of Toraichi Kono, a Japanese immigrant and one-time right-hand man of Charlie Chaplin, who got swept up in the overwhelming anti-Japanese sentiment of World War II and accused of being a spy. The show is scarily relevant in the wake of current forces striving to promote dislike and distrust of immigrants. 

The show is well-acted by the terrific eight-member cast. Brian Lee Huynh and Kiyo Takami are particularly touching in the roles of Kono and his wife respectively. Other standouts include Conland Ledwith in a spot-on portrayal of Charlie Chaplin, and Cody Leroy Wilson whose brilliant take on the role of the villainous, Alva Blake, really gets under the skin which is a testament to his fine acting ability. All in all, the show is both illuminating and unsettling.

And that's our view. For more about My Man Kono or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.panasianrep.org/my-man-kono

Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

Photo credits:

All My Man Kno production photos by Russ Rowland

Images used in this post have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and/or  PR firms and are used by permission. If there is a problem with the rights to any image,  contact us here, and we will look into the matter.