AWARDS CEREMONY -  LONGWOOD ART GALLERY

First stop on this month’s Bronx Culture Trolley Tour was the award ceremony for recipients of the Greater New York Arts Development Fund grants funded by both the New York State Council of the Arts (NYSCA) and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA). $130,000 worth of checks were handed out! That’s some serious bank! Longwood Art Gallery was packed with a Who’s Who list of everyone who’s anyone in the Bronx art and education scene. Congratulations to all those individuals and organizations who make the Bronx a thriving borough when it comes to art, culture and educational opportunities for our borough’s citizens!

Some artwork on display at Longwood Art Gallery:

Get ready to hop aboard once again on the Bronx Trolley! The Bronx Rocks has covered this event every couple of months or so (here, here, here, here, and here) and the evening never disappoints. Below are some very-belated photos from last November’s event:

From LDR Studios (Halloween-themed Visions of Horror):

 From Longwood Art Gallery - Hostos (Photography Exhibit)

From The Bronx Blue Bedroom Project (Pre-Holiday Art Sale):

New on the Trolley Tour this time was the work of Linda Cunningham. Sadly, the photos just did not capture the wonderful quality of Linda’s live/work space and her body of work on disply. Next time!)

Yes, yes, I know. Rather late to post these photos. I attended this awesome event before Christmas but sadly had a “camera malfunction”. So, I returned on the show’s last weekend and, while there was no celebrity spotting this time, it was just as packed! A miniature NYC is recreated every year by artists using only organic material (nuts, dried fruit, leaves, bark, twigs, rocks, seeds, etc.) Don’t miss out when the show rolls around next year!

 (Photo of Risa Puno, Disco Ball Pinata artist, courtesy of Talisman Brolin)

Bronx artists strike again! Rompe Puesto, brainchild of Blanka Amezkua (featured by TheBronxRocks here and here) and Ronny Quevedo turned out to be an enormous HIT - 23 of the most fabulous and creative pinatas you can imagine! What an ingenious and wickedly delicious way to throw a party where every guest (kids and adults alike!) gets to squeal with laughter and delight and is rewarded with outrageously fun party gifts: condoms, mini booze bottles, organic tea, outlandish make-up, lingerie, pregnancy kits, and so forth! Fun, fun, fun! (And oh yeah - tons of candy and toys for the kids as well) An open bar (thanks Brooklyn Brewery!) and great music spun by DJ Juan Mapu added to the reverie….Brilliant! (*List of participating artists below)

 

 The outstanding Kiku Exhibit

Ok, so I know I’ve been quite remiss in updating The Bronx Rocks of late. Here’s why…I’ve been spending time networking, spreading information and going to rallies protesting the current situation in Iran in the aftermath of the recent elections there.  If you value human rights, free speech, the right to assemble and the right to protest your government without fear of being beaten, illegally detained, tortured to death and executed on bogus charges, PLEASE get involved in any way you can!

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Back to Bronx updates and photos soon!

Morris Park (The Bronx’s “2nd Little Italy”) has been on my list of areas to try for months now as several friends rave about the quaint “villagey” feel of the place, the nice homes on lovely tree-lined streets and an abundance of Italian restaurants, second only to Arthur Avenue. My first visit was Venice Restaurant….The establishment has been in business for decades and only recently went through a major renovation and rehaul…(And I gather that the jury is still out among locals if the changes have been for the better.) I, however, quite enjoyed my lunch (a delicious and healthy seafood salad) and appreciated the friendly service of the staff. Atmosphere-wise, I would’ve liked a bit more warmth and decoration (not a fan of bare walls, but that’s a minor point). Overall, a nice little place for lunch or dinner. And there are two large dining rooms, making Venice another option for large private parties. (Speaking of which, I arrived just in time to wish Louie (below) a Happy 100th Birthday, which was fun. Well done, Sir!!!) And afterwards, you can head across the street to Cafe Portifinos for a cappuccino al fresco! 

(Try getting a bunch of Manhattanite subway riders to wave for a photo!)

WAVE HILL - Riverdale, The Bronx

Wave Hill Public Gardens and Cultural Center admittedly is not the easiest place to get to if you don’t have a car, but talking the bus and walking the rest of the way is well worth it to get to this little slice of heaven on the Hudson.  While not as botanically impressive or abundant as the Bronx Botanical Gardens, Wave Hill is substantially more inviting as a place to come and just relax with a cuppa joe and a book or paper. Sitting on the lawns is encouraged (unlike the BBG) and comfortable Adirondack-type chairs are provided throughout the property for guests. A lovely way to spend a weekend afternoon!

Blanka Amezkua has become one of my favorite Bronx artists, not only for her own highly original and fabulous work but because of her dedication to shine a spotlight on up-and-coming Bronx artists. Once a month, she opens up her home for her Bronx Blue Bedroom Project (see TheBronxRocks post here) featuring a new talent to showcase for the Bronx Trolley Tour.  Below are just a sampling of Blanka’s own work…According to Blanka herself, these embroderies are “depiction of heroines who have been liberated from the stifling territory of pulp fiction into a world where a women’s sexuality is fully eroticized on her own terms”. However you interpret them, I think they just plain ROCK! (Photos of Blanka’s pieces courtesy of Leonidas Alexandropoulos)

How We Roll In The Bronx
Cost of tickets: Nothing!
Bill to have your sorry drunken ass hauled off on a stretcher at 7:00 am: Zilch!
Having the GREATEST BAND ON THE PLANET bring some First Class publicity to this borough: F-ing PRICELESS!!!

P.S. Check out The Boogiedowner’s up-close and humorous take on things (including the drunken fist-pumping chick being hauled away on said stretcher) and fabulous full day coverage!

(Photos courtesy of U2gigs.com and photographers Luke Villapaz and Dan Hegarty)

(Lucky sons of bitches!)

The First Wednesday of every month The Bronx Trolley rolls through the South Bronx and it is one of the best things happening in this borough.  First of all - it’s FREE! Secondly, it’s a way for otherwise nervous New Yorkers to enjoy the art hotspots of the South Bronx in a totally safe and fun environment.  Manhattanites are always super surprised at what’s going on. Believe it or not, there are even a few Bronxites out there who are still skittish about this nabe - until they take this tour! And lastly, if you like your art fresh, raw, and totally UNhomogenized, then this is the place for you! So, give it a try one of these days and see for yourself! (Click here, here and here for more photos from a tour in the Fall.  And scroll down for more posts on my favorite stop this time around: The Anti SoBro Art Show at LDR Studio Gallery.)

Longwood Gallery - Hostos College:

Haven Arts:
(Photos from a past Haven Arts show) 

 The night finishes at The Bruckner Bar & Grill:

And Karaoke!

 

Mother Earth - by Annalisa Ladicicco