I Love Platanos: An Ode to Platanos On The Eve Of The Platano Festival
BY Led Black (@Led_Black) This is a poem I conceived while I was at a resort in the Dominican Republic feverishly fiending for some Dominican food. It is only so much “international food” one can eat, especially when you are on Dominican soil. It is a bit over the top with Shakespearian overtones but that [...]
Put You On: Sweetest Taboo – Greeting Cards For Love Stories Often Untold
BY Led Black (@Led_Black) What is Sweetest Taboo? They are greeting cards for those that “live and love boldly”, for those that are in a gay relationship, a lesbian relationship, in a bi-racial relationship or any other kind of relationship that some in society may not deem appropriate. This is about celebrating love in all [...]
Wilco Tango Foxtrot: Owl Herpes
BY Led Black (@Led_Black) Yesterday DNAinfo reported that “an owl found dead in Inwood Hill Park last month was killed by the herpes virus” according to a Department of Environmental Conservation spokesman. Okay, I know that there is nothing funny when an animal is found dead but you have to admit that the idea of Owl [...]
Dominoes = Dominican Chess
BY Led Black (@Led_Black) Dominoes = Dominican Chess #WashHts #Inwood #WHIN http://instagr.am/p/HmD-v/ July 13, 2011 5:42 pm via InstagramReplyRetweetFavorite @Led_Black Led Black If baseball is Dominican’s favorite sport then dominoes is our favorite pastime. In the DR everybody, from the youngest to the oldest, male and female alike, spends countless hours playing dominoes. I like to [...]
The Voices of Uptown Online Radio Show Tonight @ 9PM
On tonight’s Washington Heights and Inwood Radio Show, Carolina and Claudio will talk to local LGBT activists in our community and discuss the issues and concerns that affect them here. There will also be a special announcement made so make sure you you check the show out. [gigya src="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf?file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2Fheightsinwoodradioshow%2Fplay_list.xml%3Fitemcount%3D5&autostart=false&bufferlength=5&volume=80&corner=rounded&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/flashplayercallback.aspx" ATTRIBUTE1="VALUE" ATTRIBUTE2="VALUE" ETC. ]
The Cutting Edge of Art in Northern Manhattan
BY Erica Varlese Hector Canonge circles a mirror placed on the floor that is covered in his hair that he and invited guests just clipped. He grunts at the audience and pounds his chest, sticky from the hair he pasted there. Looking upwards, he pauses and bows. The audience claps in appreciation. He calls this [...]
Sandra Guzman's Ten Musts for a Magical and Majestic Summer
Emmy Award winner and author Sandra Guzman Shares with the UC her “Ten Musts for a Magical and Majestic Summer” And be on the look out for her next week here on the UC when we start a new section, “Roof Talk”. Sandra Guzman’s ten musts for a magical and majestic summer: 1. Peace of mind, heart & [...]
Dispatches From Hillside: The Other F-Word
BY Claudio E. Cabrera (@cecabrera21) Trump’s a fag yo May 1, 2011 3:26 pm via TweetCasterReplyRetweetFavorite @DDeNegro Divino DeNegro @ddenegro Did “fag” acquire another meaning when I wasn’t looking? May 1, 2011 3:30 pm via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite @rosefox Rose Fox A few weeks ago, Lakers star Kobe Bryant was fined $100K by the NBA after he [...]
Historic Inwood – The Dyckman Oval
BY Led Black (@Led_Black) Did you know that on the grounds where the Dyckman Houses now stand, there was once a storied athletic field known as the Dyckman Oval? Dyckman Oval was the home of the New York Cubans, comprised of Cuban, Puerto-Rican, African-American and Dominican players, and became part of the Eastern Colored League [...]
Uptown Club Poster Tour
BY Rainey Skates (@raineyskates) Posters are iconic by nature. Some revolutionize the spread of information. Some influence the rise and fall of entire political regimes. And others? Well, others we’re not so sure of yet. And so, I’d like to take the time out to invite UC readers on a tour – a magical journey [...]
Psyberian Winter – An Uptown Winter Label
BY Rainey Skates (@raineyskates) It’s not easy to brave an East Coast winter. Take it from me, someone that spends so much time skating through the Big Apple. Winter’s rough! And be that as it may, it still won’t faze the average New Yorker. Just ask Uptown native, Danny Peguero. While I’m out trying to [...]
CHECK OUT THE MANHATTAN TIMES Q&A WITH LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA
BY Led Black (@Led_Black) Guess what folks: This week’s Manhattan Times which is available right now has an awesome Q&A with neighborhood hero, Lin-Manuel Miranda. Lin sits down with Mike Fitelson and provides keen insights into the making of the Tony Award winning play. You also have a chance to win 2 tickets to the [...]
OPEN FOR BUSINESS: EMPIRE FASHION BOUTIQUE
BY Led Black (@Led_Black) Video & photography by Art By Dj BoyUptown sneaker heads rejoice. Thanks to brothers, Aldo & Joel Espinal, Uptown sneaker fiends no longer have to trek downtown to get their fix. That’s right, Empire Fashion Boutique (4795 Broadway), not only has a steady supply of hard-to-find kicks like the black Jordan [...]
THIS ISN'T YOUR DAD'S MAMAJUANA
BY Led Black (@Led_Black) I remember when I was kid, growing up in Washington Heights, my dad would keep his Mamajuana bottle stashed behind the living room sofa. That bottle was an object of sheer fascination for me. When my dad came home drunk and was unaware of my peeping, I would see him, as [...]
SAVE THE DATE: LIQUID SKIN STUDIO X THE ORIGINAL MAMAJUANA X THE UC 11/21
That’s right folks, Liquid Skin Studio (265 Sherman Ave) in collaboration with The Original MamaJuana, Míomozíone and the Uptown Collective is throwing their first ever art exhibit featuring the artwork of Cel, Kron, Ren, Joe Vega and Dro. Our liquor sponsor, The Original MamaJuana, will be supplying their amazingly smooth tasting libation for the gathered [...]
181 CABRINI TAKES YOU PLACES
BY Carolina Pichardo Recently, I had the pleasure of eating at 181 Cabrini Restaurant, which is located exactly where it says it is. Of course, I went there with the intention of observing and examining the vibe. But I left with something else. First, it was the first time (in a long-long time) that I’ve [...]
MEET THE UC CONTRIBUTORS – CAROLINA PICHARDO
BY Led Black (@Led_Black) Carolina Pichardo is the second contributor, after photographer Briana E. Heard, to join the team but she was the first writer to come aboard to assist me with the writing duties that come with trying to run a daily site. Her enthusiasm and belief in the Uptown Collective helped me to [...]
MANIFESTACIONES – THE RECAP
BY Led Black (@Led_Black) Photography by Paul Lomax I had the distinct pleasure of being present for the inauguration of the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute’s Art Gallery, the only exhibit space in New York City devoted to works of art by and about people of Dominican descent, on Friday, October 15th in the Dominican Studies [...]
40 Oz Bounce VI – The Recap
BY Led Black (@Led_Black) It was a surreal experience. One moment we are on 207th street and Seaman Avenue, by the hand ball courts in the park, conversing with the good folks that put together the 40 Oz Bounce events, (a crowd of about a hundred from across the city had already gathered for the [...]
TRÓPICO DE SANGRE PREMIERE
BY Led Black (@Led_Black) The premiere of Trópico de Sangre at our very own Columbia Alumni Theater on 168th street was a star-studded affair. First off, the movie itself was absolutely mind blowing, I was so ensnared in the film’s grip that I felt I held my breath throughout the movie (check out the full [...]
ANOTHER FREE MOVIE SCREENING UPTOWN
Steve Carell and Morgan Freeman will be in the hood on Thursday! Well, no, not exactly but their will be a free screening of their movie, Evan Almighty, on Thursday, July 29th from 8 to 10PM at J Hood Wright Park as part of the Parks Summer 2010 Movie Series. The movie is PG so [...]
