UC Recap – December 8 – December 13
By Led Black
December 8 – December 13
Last month, several Dominican families from the Heights were invited to La Casa del Mofongo to ostensibly participate in a documentary about Dominican culture. My wife, our 3 daughters and I, were chosen to take part in the endeavor. We were treated to a simply incredible meal and experience. The icing on the proverbial cake was that the evening ended with Jet Blue surprising us and giving everyone in attendance a free round-trip ticket to the Dominican Republic. In essence, that means that the trip that my family and I were in so need of but couldn’t really afford was now a reality. Stay tuned for more info on a trip back to the DR that you will have a front row seat to. Check out the moving video to see how one family reconnected with kin and kindred back in Quisqueya. DR here we come!
When we first started talking about the Uptown Renaissance back in 2010, it was but a blip on the radar. It was a phenomenon that was stirring and just starting to coalesce into something significant. On Sunday, December 7th, that nascent artistic, cultural and social movement bore beautiful fruit inside the venerable United Palace. The Hip-Hop Nutcracker of Washington Heights is a rendition of the Nutcracker like no other. Please read my review of this next-generation tour-de-force.
I had the distinct honor of taking part in the Crossing Broadway panel at the New School on December 9th. The panel was ably moderated by New York Times reporter Michael Powell and included the author of Crossing Broadway, Robert Snyder, as well Dave Crenshaw, Victoria Neznansky and Calvin Thomas. After checking out the video of the panel, stop by Word Up Books (2113 Amsterdam Avenue) and purchase Crossing Broadway: Washington Heights and the Promise of New York City ASAP. This is the official history book of Washington Heights.
The quest to select the winner of the 2015 Uptown Arts Stroll poster contest has begun. Artists have until February 17th to submit their work. The chosen artist wins 500 greenbacks and gets their art in front of a whole lot of eyeballs.
By the way, stop by Columbia Wine Co. (4038 Broadway @ 169th St) on Thursday, December 18th from 6 to 9 pm for their Ugly Sweater Party. Expect cider, eggnog as well as holiday cocktails, treats and tunes.
Keep checking us out at www.uptowncollective.com.
Led Black
Editor-in-Chief
The Uptown Collective
The UC’s mission is to become “the” definitive, transformative and community-based force impacting the arts, culture, business and New York City’s overall perception of Upper Manhattan. Its objective is to reset, reboot and positively redefine Uptown’s artistic, political, cultural and business spheres via the online space as well the collective’s initiatives and functions.
