Join No Longer Empty this Tuesday, February 24th from 12PM – 2:30PM for the “Community Open House and Unveiling of the Old Bronx Courthouse” oh and we’re excited to report that the name for the upcoming exhibition is “When You Cut Into the Present, the Future Leaks Out”.
According to Marcus Gallen Michael, Curator of Programs for NLE, “The event is organized as an opportunity for community members to learn about No Longer Empty’s upcoming art exhibition at the Old Courthouse called “When You Cut Into the Present, the Future Leaks Out” (April 23-July 2015) curated by Regine Basha, and to identify opportunities to collaborate with neighboring socially-and-culturally engaged organizations on ancillary programming and events.”
For those interested in what NLE will be doing and if you’re an artist, community based organization, or individual interested in engaging with the space, the organization, and the upcoming exhibition, then please do come. You’ll also FINALLY get to go inside this building that has been shuttered for so long.
If you can’t make it, don’t fret because on April 23rd, the building will be open to the public finally after almost 40 years of being shuttered.
Last year, Bronx Fashion Week 2014 made history in September at the Andrew Freedman Home as the borough’s first Fashion Week ever.
Conceived by Flora Montes, a native Bronxite, the event attracted well over a thousand people over the course of 3 days bringing celebrity MCs, and even Big Ang and Karen of the Mob Wives for a taping of the VH1 hit reality series.
Coming this May, we’re presenting the first Bronx Fashion Week event of 2015 called ‘The Essence of Beauty’ and next month on March 22nd at The Bronx Museum, we’ll be holding a casting call for models (men, women, and children) as well as a call for designers, make up artists, and hairstylists.
Make sure to bring your portfolio and or samples of your work and refer to the flyers for more details.
Ota Benga posing at The Bronx Zoo in 1906 / Image Credit Wildlife Conservation Society
It’s hard to believe that almost 109 years ago, a Congolese pygmy man was put on display at the Bronx Zoo in the Monkey House.
Ota Benga was brought over to the United States by the an anthropologist of the name Samuel Phillips Verner who had been hired to bring back pygmies for the 1904 World’s Fair in St Louis.
2 years later, after the pygmies were returned to Africa, Benga asked to come back to the States.
After a few stops, Ota Benga was eventually taken up to The Bronx Zoo but his stay didn’t last long. By the accounts of the zoo back then, Benga was free to roam and spent a lot of time in the Monkey House.
He was eventually encouraged to get comfortable in one of the cages and before anyone knew, a sign was up stating, “Exhibited each afternoon in September.”
After several weeks and outrage by the African American community, Ota Benga was no longer in his cage but his story and stay didn’t end there as the New York Times wrote:
“The public, at any rate, had not yet had its fill of Ota Benga, whose name was now a household one. Though no longer on official display, the African was still living at the zoo and spending time with his primate friends in the Monkey House. On Sunday, Sept. 16, 40,000 people went to the zoo, and everywhere Ota Benga went that day, The Times reported, the crowds pursued him, “howling, jeering and yelling.”
The newspaper reported, “Some of them poked him in the ribs, others tripped him up, all laughed at him.”
It was a sign of the times in America. The Emancipation Proclamation was barely half a century old which had freed the enslaved African Americans.
Sadly, New York City’s mayor at the time, George McClellan, along with the director of the zoo, William Temple Hornaday, didn’t see anything wrong with what had transpired. Listen to NPR’s story on Ota Benga:
This story is especially important during Black History Month but also each and everyday it should be a reminder that we are all humans regardless of our differences.
It was definitely not one of our borough’s proudest moments in history but from our history we must learn and never forget.
The other 2 locations identified are the 4 train rail yards by Lehman College in Bedford Park just west of the Grand Concourse and the 1 train rail yards just west of Broadway between Riverdale and Kingsbridge.
Diaz Jr reported that his office will study costs, etc associated with this proposal for these 3 areas.
The area with the most potential is probably the Melrose location since it is the largest and has the possibility offices on either side of the 149th Street bridge over the Metro North rail yards and perhaps a combination of open green space and much needed affordable housing (truly affordable housing hopefully).
If they think big and smart, they would also consider a Metro North station at this area since this is where all 3 Metro North lines east of the Hudson (Hudson, Harlem, New Haven lines) converge and is a half a block from the 2/4/5 subway at 149th Street and Grand Concourse. because the rail goes right above the 2/5 train tunnels it is perhaps even possible to make a direct connection from the Metro North station into the subway.
Bedford park rail yards outlined in red.
The Bedford Park site by Lehman College would be more conducive to mixed use housing and retail as well as the Riverdale-Kingsbridge site.
1 train rail yards west of Broadway in Riverdale/Kingsbridge. (outlined in red)
While these projects sound very big and lofty, hopefully this is something that the community will be part of the process since tax-payer dollars will be utilized to perform such studies.
What do you think about these developments? How do you think it will impact the communities of Melrose/Concourse/Mott Haven, Riverdale/Kingsbridge and Bedford Park?
Broken Promises: 10 brand new DIESEL FreshDirect trucks awaiting delivery to the company which were discovered last December. The company pledged to change to electric but that still will not mitigate the traffic situation caused by all of their trucks.
It’s been a little over 3 years since Bronx residents united against corporate welfare for FreshDirect to come into the Harlem River Yards and bring thousands of truck trips through our neighborhoods — an area that already suffers from some of the highest rates of asthma in the nation.
This past December, FreshDirect, along with our Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr and other elected officials who do not represent our districts, attended a cowardly secret ground-breaking ceremony that was protested by hundreds on that very cold day.
To add insult to injury to a community that is often discriminated against and used a dumping ground for the city, the construction site sits right on a flood plain and the newly designated areas post Superstorm Sandy, and a Native American burial site.
Join Us
for the Empire State Development RE-VOTE
on $10 Million in FreshDirect Subsidies
Thursday, February 19, 9:30 am
633 Third Avenue
37th Fl Conf Room
RSVP: CLICK HERE and call 212-803-3794
Last August, the New York Empire State Development Board (ESD) gave preliminary approval to a $10 million subsidy being sought by FreshDirect to relocate to the South Bronx. Following public outcry and a statutory requirement that ESD give primary consideration to the needs and desires of the local community, a public hearing took place in Mott Haven three months later in November. At that time, upwards of 200 Mott Haven-Port Morris residents, physicians, political leaders, religious leaders, labor leaders, business owners and nonprofit organizations provided testimony (in person and electronically) against the subsidies. FreshDirect bused in nearly 100 of its employees (paid $7/hr to be there) to manufacture support, but not one single local resident testified in favor of the project. The ESD Board will now re-vote.
If you missed the hearing last November, highlights are hyperlinked below:
CLICK HERE for updates on our community’s fight against FreshDirect.
Last summer, while walking along 3rd Avenue in The Hub, I spotted a bright, new store with gorgeous, African print fabrics. Holland Textiles advertise themselves as the “number one African Fabric retail outlet in the world…” and they have planted their first roots in America in The Bronx neighborhood of Melrose.
Many shoppers to The Hub often stop to look at the beautiful, high quality fabrics on display, myself included, but after much curiousity, I decided to finally go inside and find out more about this shop that landed in our borough.
Upon entering, the first thing you notice is not just the sheer amount of what seems to be endless yards of countless African print fabrics (at any given moment there can be well over 1,000 varieties), nor how perfectly everything is kept in order (you feel like you just walked into an art gallery) but how friendly the staff is. Right away you’re personally greeted by the staff and asked if you have any questions on the variety of fabrics etc.
The first person I met was Osei Bonsu, Holland Textiles’s Business Developer who hails from Ghana (The Bronx is home to the largest Ghanaian community in the country). When asked about the client base, he said, “Most of our client base are Africans living in The Bronx and throughout the New York region but what struck me the most interesting of all was the number of Honduran clientele we were getting.”
Osei Bonsu, Holland Textiles’ Business Developer, goes over some fabrics with fellow Ghanaian customers.
This isn’t much of a surprise actually due to the fact that many Hondurans here in The Bronx are Garifuna, a people with strong ties and descendants of West and Central Africans.
While I was at the store, I ran into a few shoppers and in particular Pink Makeleni who is originally from Zimbabwe and finds herself shopping at the store quite often due to the high quality. “I come here often and shop and he makes my dresses,” pointing to Jerry Anyaene, a fashion designer who works at Holland Textiles, as she smiled and laughed.
Jerry Anyaene’s journey began in his native Nigeria and early on developed an interest in fashion and design which took him through Europe, The Netherlands, China and many other places across the globe. He now works at Holland Textiles and consults with clients on designs for their outfits or simply creates them for them.
Jerry Anyaene, the store’s fashion designer, consults with one Holland Textiles’ regular clients, Pink Makeleni.
The history of the store goes back to over 30 years ago in France and then eventually opening up another store in The Netherlands as well as London, UK. and the fabrics, like Vlisco, goes back as far as 1846 in Holland.
“The Bronx store is our biggest store yet,” said General Manager, Cheick M. Camara who came to the country from Guinea (See a pattern here? The store employs and has clients who emigrated to the US from a number of African countries).
“Although we have a diversified customer bases, and a lot of places to choose from, we know a very large group of our customers reside in the Bronx and surrounding communities. It’s only natural that we come to that group, not only for convenience it does offer, but by so doing be part of the social fabric of the people we serve…We have Africans and African Americans customers. We have designers, students, researchers, fashion industry specialists interested in the latest trends. We also have a huge operation in our wholesale division that covers all of North America store keepers.” said Camara.
“Here in the Bronx our company is very much involved in all kind of social programs by sponsoring such activities as youth sport events, church gatherings, parades, birthday celebrations, festivals and funerals. In return we feel very welcomed by the people we cater to.” added Camara.
So what makes this store so special besides the people who work here, the clients and the beautiful fabrics? Well, it’s in the very fabrics themselves.
Mr Camara said:
“If you are familiar with Vlisco, you know that since 1846 that company remains the biggest and most admired manufacturer of African fabrics in term of quality and designs. In the US, our company Holland textiles is the biggest distributor of their products. On top of that we also manufacture our own lines of fabric. The SUPREME lines, it’s made in Holland with uncompromising quality, affordable to anyone. No other fabric store in the US comes even close to the variety of our Supreme lines or the multiplicity of the motives on them. In our wholesale division our customers know we don’t impose any limit to buy. We go further, by providing a distributorship program to those interested in becoming wholesalers themselves. For our retail customers, we have a whole range of prices that fits any budget. Our sales team is made up of trained designers, seamstresses and tailors. Once in our store we go through the entire process with our clients: From explaining the history of a particular fabric they are interested in, to the style that will go well with that fabric. If a customer chooses, our tailors are ready to sew a dress with a style in his or her liking, ON THE SPOT! It’s truly one stop shopping experience only Holland Textiles provides.”
And it really is a one stop shop experience at the store based on my observations and the interactions with the clients coming in and out during my stay.
Victoria Blain, from Gambia and the store’s Operations Manager and Stylist also stressed the quality of the fabrics saying, “Many shops that carry African prints do not carry the high quality we offer and they tend to be a lower grade fabric.”
The store truly is a special place and I encourage folks to visit, shop, shop, and SHOP and support our local, small businesses. Living in The Bronx and having seen many stores that carry African fabrics and prints, I have yet to come across one like this. Tell them Welcome2TheBronx sent ya!
Holland Textiles is located at 3037 Third Avenue and can be reached at 718-513-6280.
Join Morris Perk tomorrow at B-Well Studio for Tea Tasting, Yoga, & Massage! Morris Perk is teaming up with Ricks Roasters, and Loose Leaf Tea Company who’s sponsoring the event at Be-Well Studio.
Tea tasting will start at 6pm followed by yoga at 7pm. Chair massages will be available from 6-8pm!
This is a wonderful opportunity to support several local, small businesses all under one roof!
Mmmmmmm tea…
B-Well Studio Center, Inc is located at 2125 Williamsbridge Road and just a hop, skip and an ommmmm from the #5 train at Pelham Parkway.
The East Bronx History Forum will transport us back to the Bronx of 1960 at Freedomland! Freedomland was larger and safer than Disneyland, or was it? Come on down to Westchester Square and find out. Wednesday February 18th at 7:30pm!
Freedomland was touted as the world’s largest theme park and captured the history of the country, while providing wholesome family entertainment. Shaped in the form of the United States, with Little Old New York in the east to the San Francisco Wharf and great earthquake of 1906 in the west. Other attractions were the great Chicago Fire, the old Southwest, New Orleans and the Santa Fe Railroad transporting visitors from coast to coast. It had something to offer for everyone.
Thomas X. Casey, co-author of “Northwest Bronx “ and “Bronx Views, the Postcard Book” and Secretary of the EBHF led us on a visit to Freedomland in 2007 and he will now lead a celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the closing of Freedomland. You will see numerous images! Please get there early as seating is limited and Free. You can also see many souvenirs that were available for sale at Freedomland. Look forward to seeing you Wednesday February 18th at 7:30pm, at the Huntington Free Library (next to Apple Bank). MOMMY AND DADDY, TAKE MY HAND, TAKE ME OUT TO FREEDOMLAND! Look forward to seeing you there!
The Bronx had one of the biggest and best amusement parks EVER, Freedomland! Here is a picture of the park; you can see a horse drawn trolley carrying excited visitors. It was shaped like the United States and had historical themes and attractions, such as the Chicago Fire and Old New York. It was built where present day Co-Op City is, currently the largest cooperative housing development in the world. Sadly, it only lasted 4 years as the location was tough to get to and the colder seasons did not allow for as many visitors as sunny California or Florida would allow for the Disney theme parks. Wednesday, February 18th at 7:30P, there will be a FREE lecture on Freedomland at the East Bronx History Forum.
The East Bronx History Forum is located at 9 Westchester Square:
Piraña, proprietor of La Lechonera Piraña which made the list, ever playful and greets each one of his regular customers like family. This was taken last year for the Puerto Rican Festival on 152nd Street and Jackson Avenue.
The Bronx, home to New York’s congressional district with the highest percentage of Puerto Ricans has long been a bastion of all things Puerto Rico including the birth of Salsa and many cultural institutions. Even though the area has seen an influx of a more diverse latino population in recent decades, the heavy Puerto Rican influence in our latino communities still lingers.
The culinary offerings of Puerto Rico, of course, are one of the most visible aspects of the culture as you can’t venture too far before running into a cuchifrito or Puerto Rican restaurant. Sure we know that the fried delicacies shouldn’t be a daily staple of our diets but it’s so hard to resist the smells when you walk by one of these establishments.
Chris Crowley, an avid food writer for various magazines recently picked his top 5 Puerto Rican joints and in the intro he says:
“Already the birthplace of hip-hop, home to America’s most storied baseball franchise, and haven for West African, Albanian, and Bangladeshi immigrants, the Bronx is also a critically important stop on the salsa train. Since 2003, it’s been a majority Latino borough—as well as the center of gravity for the city’s Puerto Rican community dating back to the ’50s. Despite a surging Dominican presence, lechoneras (roast-pork temples perfumed with garlic) still abound, and there are still many places to fulfill a craving for conch-stuffed fritters and cans of Coco Rico.
We’ve compiled a list of must-try places for pastelillos, mofongo, and other specialties of the island’s pork-centric, sofrito-powered cuisine—that wonderful blend of Spanish, American, and African influences.”
I was particularly happy to see Lechonera La Piraña on the list but I didn’t see Isla Cuchifritos on 149th Street and Morris Avenue in Melrose (I love that place since it’s open 24 hours all year round and serves a rotisserie chicken that is so soft and juicy that it falls off the bones.
Van Cortlandt House, where President George Washington slept at least twice and also where he began his journey from into Manhattan to re-capture New York from British rule thus ending their control in America.
While many of us are off today for Presidents’ Day, do you know the connections that The Bronx has to Washington and Lincoln?
Some of you may already know your Bronx history, especially if you’ve read our Bronx Facts we’ve been compiling since last year but since today’s a holiday why not talk a little more about our borough’s place in history.
Let’s start with our nation’s first president, George Washington.
On October 12, 1776, the British landed in Throgg’s Neck with 4,000 troops who were later met with the resistance of 350 Americans who were able to hold them off at Pell’s Point in Pelham Bay Park. This allowed Washington and his troops to safely reach White Plains. Think about that. 350 Americans against 4,000 British troops!
But it wasn’t until 1783 that George Washington left Van Cortlandt House in The Bronx with his troops in what is considered the final act of the American Revolution which was the recapturing of New York City. Known as ‘Evacuation Day‘, November 25th, 1783 was that historic day when Washington triumphantly left The Bronx, crossed the Harlem River into Manhattan and headed down the island to New York as the last bit of British Authority fled the shores of America.
Photo Credit: Sgt. Jose A. Torres Jr. Maj. Gen. Michael S. Linnington, commanding general, Military District of Washington, lays a wreath at the foot of the President Abraham Lincoln statue at the Lincoln Memorial in honor of Lincoln’s birthday in Washington D.C., Feb. 12. 2012.
Then we have president Abraham Lincoln and while he never set foot in The Bronx, his most famous likeness was created right here in The Bronx.
Last night’s celebration at The Bronx Museum of the Arts for the BxArts Factory launch event was full positive vibes and energy. Although I was never fortunate enough to go to Fashion Moda, judging from the film clips and history, it felt as if I had stepped into something very much like it.
Hundreds of people came to the event from all walks of life — artist or not — and the air was full of laughter, people were dancing, performance artists were entertaining, painters were painting but best of all was watching how organically many people came together making new connections within the arts community.
During a speech by Phillip Morrow, President and CEO of SoBro (South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation) and the agency which BxArts Factory is working with to secure their space at Brook Avenue Gardens, he stressed SoBro’s commitment to the arts and fostering local artists.
Many Bronxites are excited about BxArts Factory and can’t wait for it to open. People applauded when the organizations founders spoke about the importance of connecting arts programming with our children.
The evening wouldn’t have been possible without their partners Beyond Organic Design and SoBro and their sponsors, The Bronx Museum of the Arts who generously provided the space for the event, and Morris Perk who served up a delicious Lovers’ Leap blend (with berry and chocolate flavors) by Ricks Roaster Coffee Company (provided by their rep, Denise Martino who baked the most delicious cookies!). The Bronx Beer Hall provided their great selections of local brews, Don Reyes, along with Luscious Vines, sampled some of their delicious rums and wines, Trevon Blondet’s Black Blonde Images documented the evening Flaco Coquito had their low-cal drink on hand, and all the artists who provided live entertainment.
Arthur Avenue, home of New York City’s REAL Little Italy.
We already know that Arthur Avenue in Belmont is the undisputed REAL Little Italy of New York and each time we read about it we get even happier that it continues to receive that distinction.
This time, SpoiledNYC writes:
Let’s be honest, Arthur Avenue is one of the best-kept secrets of New York City.
Tucked away within a few charming blocks of the Bronx, Arthur Avenue is home to an array of Italian restaurants, bakeries, delis, and shops that are sure to seduce your palette and never stray far from the back of your mind.
We’ve created a comprehensive guide for all you Italian-lovers and foodies out there in NYC.
Whether you’re looking for a quick slice, a sweet something to snack on, or a decadent dish topped with all the cheese and red sauce your heart desires, Arthur Avenue’s countless venues are guaranteed to deliver.
