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Van Cortlandt House Musuem - Van Cortlandt Park

Nestled in the beautiful expanse of Van Cortlandt Park, this 1748 historic home is a must for history and architecture buffs as well as anyone fond of antiques and the decorative arts.  To book a $5 tour, just call ahead to make sure one of the volunteer guides are available.  My friend and I showed up today sans reservations but were lucky that the wonderful David Kappes was around! Thanks David!  I can’t wait to return for the Decemeber Christmas Evening Candlelight Tour!!! (Check out their website for a list of upcoming events.) Afterwards, you can cross the street to grab some great Mexican food at Santa Fe Grill (I had a fantastic shrimp enchilada platter for $6.50) or a meal at the more upscale Jake’s Steakhouse.

Valentine-Varian House 

COUNTRY CLUB, The Bronx

…here’s more proof that housing in the Bronx isn’t about burnt out buildings, run down tenements and crack houses….(I know that’s what your thinking, but I’m just sayin’…)

Teasing aside, Country Club is actually a little enclave in the East Bronx, a place that has a serene, small-town feel unlike most places in the Bronx, or in NYC for that matter (Well, ACTUALLY, the Bronx does have  City Island, Riverdale, Throgg’s Neck, Pelham Bay…)  Some of the homes in CC are right on the water.  To have those views coupled with Bronx real estate pricing, is (in my opinion anyway) to die for!

It’s that time again! Time for another Save the Date for this month’s Revolution! party in Mott Haven at the Bruckner Bar & Grill.  (See past party photos here)  

Check out these great photos from last month’s party where Kissy Kamikaze, William Control (NSFW) and others performed, courtesy of Richard Scott:

NEW YORK SPORTS CLUB COMES TO THE BRONX - Parkchester

Readers will now be aware of the fact that even though I have lived in the Bronx for almost two years, it wasn’t until I started TheBronxRocks that I learned of many of the great attractions this borough has to offer. I’ve discovered restaurants just blocks away that I never knew existed and now I have to clue you into yet another TREAT I came across just two weeks ago.  New York Sports Club!!!!  (Behind Sizzler on Bronxdale Avenue).  $69.95 per month will give you access to this brand nearly spanking new club (only 1 year old) with a pool, sauna, smoothie bar, lounge, babysitting service and several studios for classes and world class equipment (including cardio machines that come with their own personal TV screens!).   The times that I have been there, the place has never been crowded and I’ve never had to wait for anything (not so at the clubs in Manhattan).  

See you in Spin Class!

THE GALLERY LOUNGE - Mott Haven, South Bronx

(Great staff at The Gallery Lounge)

I wrote about a great time a friend and I had last week when we hopped aboard the Bronx Trolley. During our many stops (here, here and here) in the South Bronx, we popped into the The Gallery Lounge (see my post here on The Boogiedowner).  It was great to finally check this place out, meet the very friendly staff and eat some great sushi. Check out there website for a funky and fabulous slideshow.

Borgatti’s

The Bronx’s Little Italy is such a short bus ride from my home in Parkchester that I can’t believe I didn’t take advantage of it the first year and a half I was here.  It was only doing research for TheBronxRocks, that I finally figured out where it is (in between Parkchester and The Bronx Botanical Gardens, which I have been visiting regularly since I moved to this borough).  I posted about two fabulous restaurants early on here. But now I have to rave about the other shops one can enjoy during a stroll down Arthur Avenue.  I coaxed my friend Isabelle to join me last weekend and being Swiss-Moroccan and having spent her early years in both Paris and Switzerland, I knew she would appreciate this little enclave.  Reminiscent of the fromageries, boulangeries, chacuteries of the streets of Paris and other European villages, many of the shops of Little Italy specialize in their own…well, specialities – meat, cheese, bread, pasta, seafood and so forth.  Our favorite (and something neither of us had seen before) was Calabria Pork Store where the ceiling is literally filled to the brim with hanging salamis and sausages! After lunch at Tino’s Delicattessen and capucinnos at a bakery close, by we shop-hopped all the way down Arthur Ave for supplies to have an evening picnic-style dinner. French baquette, camembert, grapes, figs, olives, sundried tomatoes and a bottle of wine? Heaven!

Calabria Pork Store

A Little Taste Of Cuba

THE BRONX CULTURE TROLLEY - SOUTH BRONX

My friend Karen and I hopped aboard the Bronx Trolley this past Wednesday for a great little urban adventure – a foray into the cultural hot spots of the South Bronx. The Bronx Council of the Arts‘ hospitality was in full force at their reception held at Longwood Art Gallery at Hostos College.  Cheese platters, crudités and wine were served in abundance and the works of art by Samuel Lind and Raul Ayala on display were a pleasant surprise.  Once aboard the trolley, we rode down the Grand Concourse for a spin, dropped fellow passengers off at the Bronx Museum and then continued to travel East into Mott Haven where we eventually hopped off for visits to The Bronx Blue Bedroom Project, the Bronx Museum Project Space, Haven Arts Gallery and The Bruckner Gallery at the Bruckner Bar and Grill (with martinis and sushi at the Gallery Lounge along the way!).  Fellow passengers were from many parts of the City and were all in great spirits (the free flowing wine at each event didn’t hurt of course!)

See posts below for photos of all of these wonderful South Bronx must-sees. The Trolley rolls through various Bronx neighborhoods every First Wednesday – I highly suggest you give the next one a try!  

(My friend Karen up from Manhattan to visit the South Bronx)

Blanka Amezkua immediately reminded me of an artist channeling the spirit of the great Frida Kahlo. I had the good fortune to make a pilgrimage to Kahlo’s home in Mexico City (Casa Azul) years ago, and Blanka’s Bronx Blue Bedroom Project had the same feeling of the artist’s living space becoming an intertwining extention of the art and artist herself. The idea behind the BBBP is to showcase a different artist every month – giving them the run of her Tiffany-box blue bedroom as a gallery. They in turn bring dinner, snacks and drinks for the guests who show up.  The artist this past Wednesday was the delightful Melissa Calderon.  (Send me those pics, Melissa!) But Blanka’s own work is definitely worth a visit in and of itself.  How often do you see in one collection a sculptural collage made entirely of multi-colored pipe cleaners, a figure made of several disparate and seemingly tortured doll parts and a framed thorned brassiere?!? 

I highly suggest you visit this unique artist’s home, studio and gallery – I promise it will bring out the inner-bohemian in all of you!

 (Following photos courtesy of Blanka’s Website)

BRONX MUSEUM PROJECT SPACE - Stop on the Bronx Cultural Trolley Tour
Mott Haven, South Bronx

After Blanka’s Bronx Blue Bedroom Project, we meandered down the streets of Mott Haven and ventured into The Bronx Musuem Project Space, filled with art that was definitely my cup of tea – I mean the first thing I saw upon entering was a painting definitely worth a thousand words - George Bush in Mickey Mouse ears.  Now THAT had me at Hello!

          HAVEN ARTS, Stop on the Bronx Trolley Tour
Mott Haven, South Bronx(Reposted from an earlier entry): Located right around the corner from Alexander’s Cafe and across the street from what used to be (sigh!) Antique Row, sits Haven Arts - a gallery I’ve been meaning to check out for quite some time. On exhibit now is Men on Maps - a unique idea whereby 40 male artists use NYC subway maps as their “blank canvas” and inspiration.  Pretty cool stuff! Check out their website for upcoming events and exhibits. Thanks J.C. for your hospitality! I hope you continue to flourish!

BRUCKNER GALLERY - Stop on the Bronx Trolley Tour
MOTT HAVEN, SOUTH BRONX

Actually, the last stop was at Sweetwater Bar & Grill, but by the time we reached the Bruckner Bar and Grill, the martinis, wine and high heel shoes had taken a toll and all we wanted to do was sit, pig out and people watch at this South Bronx institution.  Great music, yummy food and a fun crowd was the perfect way to end this great SoBro evening. (See Sobro! (Part 2) for another post on The Bruckner Bar & Grill)

The very amiable Alphonso from Rino’s Ristorante (an establishment in business since 1983). As I only had a cappucino (delicious!), I can’t vouch for the food, but judging by the regular patrons - I’m sure the food was just a yummy as the service was friendly.

 And since I’m such a sucker for those “Awww….” moments, I just had to interrupt this father and son game of catch to snap their photos.  As are most every Bronxite I come across for TheBronxRocks, they were very willing and happy to pose.  Thanks guys!

 

(Photo courtesy of Elle Perez)

MOTT HAVEN - SoBro

For all you young and hip underground rock fans - here’s a SAVE THE DATE for you:

A REVOLUTION! Party - Friday, September 26th at  Bruckner’s Bar & Grill

Connected with the same group that brought you the Bronx Underground (NSFW), Revolution! has finally brought the dance party scene to the South Bronx! Here’s what one of the organizers, Anita Colby, has to say: “Produced by a collective of Bronx native musicians and artists with a vision to mix live bands, art, nightlife and Bronx authenticity; the Revolution! Party exploded onto the scene this July”.  And yes, Anita, we agree with you when you say that “The Bronx is burnin’ indeed!” She also says that this will be a monthly event at the Bruckner Bar & Grill! We think that’s great news for Mott Haven (and, of course, the Bronx in general)! You not only get great music, a fresh and hip party scene, but you get Bronx prices as well - A $7 cover and $3 shots! Show me any where else in NYC where you are going to find that combination! Yeah- I didn’t think so!

Take a listen to a few past and present acts from a Revolution Party: Fire and Reason, The Scene,
Kissy Kamikaze, and William Control. (NSFW)

Photos by Elle Perez from Revolution!’s last event: