Theater Thursday - The 15th Annual Joe Iconis Christmas Extravaganza

We received complimentary access to a livestream of the 15th Annual Joe Iconis Christmas Extravaganza for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: The 15th Annual Joe Iconis Christmas Extravaganza

Where: 54 Below 

             254 W. 54th St.

             New York, NY

When: This event took place from December 12 - 14, 2025

The 15th Annual Joe Iconis Christmas Extravaganza is such a fun and joyful show to watch during the holiday season. This was the first year I have been privileged to see it,  and it did not disappoint. This was more of a concert than a show, although many cast members played characters. There were also a few overarching storylines that carried through the performance, all of which were extremely silly and highly entertaining. 

The music was a combination of some classic holiday songs and many Joe Iconis originals. The entire cast of performers sang beautifully. Those who are fans of Joe Iconis’s work would likely have recognized many familiar faces among them. My only complaint is that due to the large cast size, certain performers weren’t featured as prominently as others, and I wish that some of them could have played a larger role. Overall, though, this was the perfect show to get you into the holiday spirit, or just to give you an enjoyable night of theatre.

And that's our view. For more about upcoming shows at 54 Below or to purchase tickets, visit 54below.org

Tune in Sunday for this week's Sunday Scoop.

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Where-To-Go Wednesday - Holiday Windows Walking Tour 2025

Here is an overview of the annual holiday window displays at New York City's major department stores, listed in order of location from uptown to downtown.  Although, for the most part, they are much better than last year, some are still too commercialized. We realize that these are stores, and their primary mission is to sell products; however, it takes away something when that is so blatantly the focus of the holiday windows 

Bloomingsdales - located at Lexington Avenue between 9th and 60th Street:

Their windows this year feature a fun medieval knight theme. However, the partnership with Burberry takes away a little from the fun and makes it all too much like an advertisement for their products. 

Bergdorf Goodman - located at Fifth Avenue between 57th and 58th:

Their windows this year feature a party theme. There are windows devoted to costume parties, New Year's parties, housewarming parties, and more. As usual, all are bursting with color and filled to the brim, perhaps even a little too overwhelmingly, as your eyes don't know what to look at. Be sure to see the windows located on both sides of 5th Ave. The left side windows, as you look towards downtown, are slightly less busy, but also less colorful. 

Saks Fifth Avenue - located at Fifth Avenue between 49th and 50th:

Their windows are a mishmash of different things. There are some windows devoted to airport travel. Some have a more specifically holiday-related theme. One or two are more New York-centric. Plus, there are a few that it is unclear if they are meant to be part of the holiday display or not. 

Macy's - located at Broadway and 34th St., 34th to 35th Sts. and Broadway to 7th

Their theme this year is their best in several years, and the best of all of this year's holiday window displays. It celebrates Macy's and 34th Sts. histories with windows dedicated to the annual Thanksgiving Day parade, the film Miracle on 34th Street, and more. 

And that's our view. We will feature more holiday windows and other holiday decorations in next week's Where-To-Go Wednesday. 

Tune in tomorrow for Theater Thursday.

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Tips for Tuesday - Books: For the Record & Crimes That Inspired Agatha Christie; Movie: Janis Ian: Breaking Silence

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: For the Record & Crimes That Inspired Agatha Christie 

Me- For the Record by Emma Lord is a second-chance romance between a former pop star and a former pop rocker whose on-stage rivalry dominated the headlines, though their offstage chemistry only caused them pain.

Unfortunately, this book fell completely flat for me. The main characters, Mackenzie and Sam, were bland and underdeveloped. Each of them was dealing with personal issues that should have been compelling. However, these storylines had so little depth that I just didn't feel invested in them. As for the side characters, they had so little personality and made such little impact that I didn't care about them at all.

The romance began instantaneously– there was no buildup, tension, or progression. From the first chapter, Mackenzie and Sam were already obsessively lusting after each other. Obviously, they had spent a lot of time together in the past, so it made sense that there was already some level of attraction and pent-up feelings. That said, first of all, they hadn't seen each other in two years, so I found it unrealistic that they just picked up exactly where they left off. Additionally, as readers, we didn't see any of their past together, so it felt disconcerting to read such intense inner monologues about their feelings right off the bat. As time went on, the two of them shared a few sweet moments, but for the most part, I didn't enjoy this couple together, largely because their interactions felt so unnatural.

This brings me to my biggest issue with this book: the writing. Although I hesitate to use the word "cringey" because cringe is both extremely subjective and, in my opinion, often used to condemn people for being themselves. However, in this case, it's simply the most appropriate word. The dialogue in particular felt strange and unnatural, and the characters' inner thoughts sounded as if they were coming from teenagers rather than adults in their late 20s or early 30s. From the cheesy wordplay relating to the characters' last names of Waters and Blaze to Sam's frequent use of the nickname "Sparkles" for Mackenzie, I found it difficult to take any part of this book seriously.

I've loved some of Emma Lord's young adult romances in the past, but this is her second adult romance, and both let me down.  I may have to accept that her writing style for adult romance simply doesn't work for me. While I'm sure this book would be a cute and entertaining time for some people, I personally didn't enjoy it at all

Mom - Today, I recommend Crimes That Inspired Agatha Christie by Jonathan Oates and Anna-Lena Berg.  Although Agatha Christie never admitted to incorporating details from real-life crimes into her novels, cross-referencing notorious crimes of her day with the plots of her written work indicates that she often drew inspiration from them. However, to do this on one's own would be quite time-consuming because the prolific author wrote 66 novels alone, not to mention her short story collections and plays.  

Luckily, the authors of this engrossing book have done the work for you. This comprehensive book not only provides detailed information regarding true crimes of her day that relate to Christie's writing,  but also examines exactly which of her novels, stories, or plays they relate to and specifically how. A bibliography of sources is also conveniently located after each crime discussed, rather than at the end of the book, making it easy to look into the matter further if you are interested. 

In addition to incorporating elements of true crimes into her writing, Christie often had her characters mention some of the real crimes and/or criminals of her day. This book also thoroughly details these mentions. Whether you are a true crime fan, an Agatha Christie fan, or both, you will want to read this  extremely fascinating book 

Movie: Janis Ian: Breaking Silence

Janis Ian: Breaking Silence is a captivating documentary that chronicles the life and career of singer Janis Ian. Her inspiring journey has included bursting onto the scene as a young teenager and tackling taboo  (at least at the time) subjects like interracial relationships in her songs. She is also known for her activism, and although she was not one of the earliest artists to come out as bisexual, she did so in 1993 and, since then, has been a very active advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. 

Much of Ian's story is told through her own words or the words of her friends, family and/or colleagues. It's definitely an inspiration not only to aspiring singers but to anyone trying to find the courage to stand up for what they believe in. 

And that's our view. For the Record was published in August. Crimes That Inspired Agatha Christie was published on November 30. Janis Ian: Breaking Silence is available on DVD for purchase or rental digitally. 

Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

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