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Bloomberg’s Racist Legacy: White Man Walking (Scott Free) With Pot

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Statistics overwhelmingly show that white males are more likely to use marijuana yet over 80% of such arrests in NYC are African American or Latino males.

In this article from the New York Times by Jim Dwyer, read about the harsh realities of just one aspect of what a divided city Bloomberg will be leaving us. Perhaps it’s simply because men of color are the new cash crop?

From The New York Times:

A Marijuana Stash That Carried Little Risk

While scores of people are arrested on marijuana charges every day in the city, the laws apparently don’t apply to middle-aged white guys.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/15/nyregion/a-marijuana-stash-that-carried-little-risk.html

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Bronx Real Estate In Riverdale Causing A Big Buzz Around The World

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Got $8.6 million to spare? This is bedroom, 7 bathroom beauty with 2 swimming pools and 7 fireplaces can be yours. (photos from Trebach Realty)

Many forget that Riverdale is indeed the Bronx and more forget that it is home to some of the most expensive homes outside of the island of Manhattan within New York City.

During the last several weeks, a listing in the Fieldston section of Riverdale caused a raucous on the Internet because finally a castle (of sorts) could be purchased for the price of a New York City apartment – in NYC!

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Can't quite afford $8.6 million? You're in luck. 4720 Grosvenor Avenue is for sale for only a mere $3.65 million. (photos from Stribling & Associates)

A few months back Buzzfeed did a piece on 6 castles in Europe that cost less than NYC apartments and Curbed ran with it when the Fieldston home came on the market for $3.65 million. Days later, a much larger home is on the market for more than twice that amount!

4941 Arlington Avenue is on the market for a whopping $8.6 million and features both an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, 7 full bathrooms and 7 fireplaces and 7 bedrooms (lucky 7 anyone?). The home is beautifully situated on 1.6 acres (unheard of in NYC but quite common in Riverdale) in the Estate Section which is west of the Henry Hudson Parkway.

The Bronx Honors Gordon Parks

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©Welcome2TheBronx.com

This past Monday as I was running my errands in the neighborhood, I ran across this new exhibit at the College of New Rochelle’s Gordon Parks Gallery.

Although it was closed when I walked by, I was pleased that Jeffrey Guard at the Bronx Art Exchange had just written about it so allow me to share with you a little more on the exhibit honoring the gallery’s namesake.

“…Gordon Parks was many things, a photographer, composer, filmmaker, writer and activist. His life-journey was filled with extraordinary challenges including losing his mother at 14 and shortly thereafter having to fend for himself on the streets. During the early and mid 20th century he had to fight against the ugly specter of racism that would often deny him one career-making opportunity after another. 

Yet, despite these obstacles his talent found its way to the light and, gratefully, all of us can enjoy some of his work; a series of portraits that he took during the 1940’s-1960’s. Most of them are ORIGINAL black and white portraits, composite images of various African Americans ranging from an ordinary husband and wife on their way to church, to the famous and all-powerful Muhammad Ali (after destroying Henry Cooper in the famous 1966 Heavy Weight World Champion Fight held in London.) 

His technique and innate mastery of composition, light and the use of negative and positive space all seem effortless. Each of these portraits has a depth to them that could fill a novel. His portrait American Gothic illustrates this most effectively. A slender African-American woman is photographed standing in front of an American flag hold in one hand a broom and in the other a mop. It’s a powerful statement for so many who were relegated to the back-breaking, physically demanding positions of labor without any hope for other career prospects. 

All of these images, some might say, ordinary pictures of folk would most likely never have been captured, were it not for Gordon Parks. In dealing with institutionalized racism he captured everyone else who had also been swept to the sidelines of opportunity. But he did not do so from the perspective of victimhood—in fact, if you did not know the history of the US they would otherwise seem like ordinary people just going through things. It’s precisely this aspect that gives the work its longevity. 

For any photographer or visual art lover, visiting the Gordon Parks Gallery will truly be a revelation if you have never seen his work or are becoming acquainted with him for the first time.”

Read the review in its entirety at BAXNYC.

A big thanks to The Bronx Art Exchange for always keeping us abreast on the Bronx art scene!

Bruckner Bar & Grill To Reopen Monday, November 18!

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Image from old Bruckner Bar and Grill Facebook page.

Over a year after Superstorm Sandy devastated the region and flooded Bruckner Bar & Grill, the beloved restaurant and local watering hole is reopening this coming Monday.

Next Monday, from 6PM to 9PM, the folks from the Bronx Brewery will be serving up their brew all the while welcoming back customers to the famed establishment.

Bruckner Bar & Grill’s absence since it was destroyed by the storm left a big hole in our local community being that it was a favorite meeting spot for locals and Bronxites alike.

Even though it’s opening under new ownership and management, we sure hope we’ll get the same great food and service that we’re used to. Only time will tell but in the meantime, make sure to stop by next week and join in the welcome back festivities!

Join Us On Saturday For A Screening Of Style Wars II At The Bronx Documentary Center

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30 years ago Henry Chalfant’s ground breaking documentary, ‘Style Wars‘ was released and took the Bronx, graffiti culture as well as the relatively then nascent scene of Hip Hop across the world.

Now this Saturday, the Bronx Documentary Center will screen the sequel to the award-winning film which documents what has transpired since the cultural landmark original in the world of graffiti.

Directors of ‘Style Wars II‘ Veli and Amos will follow the screening with a panel discussion together with Henry Chalfant and graff legend BLADE. After Banksy’s month-long residency in New York City and controversial visits to the Bronx, I’m quite sure this is gonna be an excellent discussion.

Saturday, November 9th
Doors open at 6:30PM
Screening starts at 7PM followed by panel discussion.
Suggested donation is $10

Style Wars II Trailer

Hostos Community College To Host Film & Talk On Gentrification Thursday at 6PM

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Join Banana Kelly Improvement Association along with Andrew Padilla, filmmaker of El Barrio Tours at Hostos Community College for a screening of the film showcasing the sensitive and often emotional topic of gentrification.

The Bronx and particularly Melrose, Mott Haven, and the Lower Concourse in the South Bronx are already seeing the impacts of what some would call gentrification as developments – along with rents continue to rise.

Following the screening there will be an opportunity for discussion so it’s important to come to this event and come together as a community regardless of what side of the issue you’re on.

The event is scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, November 7th at 6PM in the MBJ Cafeteria, Building C at Hostos Community College.

Helping Your Bronx Neighborhoods Is As Easy As Clicking Away

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Living in the age where you can easily order anything over your smartphone via the Web or custom apps has made life easier for many of us but did you know that you have easy access to government services at your fingertips too?

For years now I’ve been taking advantage of 311 whenever I encountered anything needing repairs or attention in my neighborhood and they always responded swiftly. From broken streetlights to garbage on empty lots or replacing dead trees, I’ve been able to make a very small impact for the better in my area.

I’ve even used the service to have unsightly graffiti removed.

Now helping keep your neighborhood in order has become easier via your Android phone or iPhone with 311’s handy app. No longer do you need to write down reference numbers and call back or log in to check the status of your claim. That all resides on your app with just a click or two.
When filing a claim you can even submit pictures so that the city agency responding will have a better grasp of the situation.

The app itself is pretty handy as you can quickly check in alerts in NYC and whether or not alternate side parking is in effect so it’s not just limited to complaints.

So when you see something in your neighborhood that requires attention,, rather than complaining and forgetting about it you can quickly get it fixed using the 311 app, their website, or simply calling them.

Have you used 311? Has your experience been a positive or a negative one? Tell Us!

The Bronx Gets Major Promotional Boost In The UK By NYC & CO As A Tourist Destination

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Squeaky wheel gets the grease?

Today I received rather surprising news that New York City’s tourism marketing department, NYC & CO, made a major push to promote the Bronx to both domestic and international visitors to the city. The announcement was made earlier today in London, UK at the World Travel Market, one of the premier travel trade shows.

The United Kingdom remains the top country of origination of international tourists who flock to NYC each year – of which last year over 52 million visitors came to our city.

For years, many of us have been very vocal about trying to get tourists to visit the Bronx so that they too may enjoy the wonderful borough we all love but it was a gargantuan task without the backing of the main tourism company in the city.

Whether it’s the Ramirez brothers and crew at Mainland Media, From the Bronx and the Bronx Beer Hall, Nicole Perrino, founder and editor of BronxMama, Shannon Lee Gistad, founder of Bronx Movers & Shakers, yours truly here at Welcome2TheBronx and Welcome2Melrose, or any of the other countless Bronxites – you’ve heard the clarion call to showcase our home and shed our negative, media-driven stereotypes.

And let’s not forget our very own Culinary Ambassador, Baron Ambrosia, along with his preposterous antics and nationally televised shows!

This year, however, none spoke louder than Alexandra Maruri, founder and operate of MCNY Tours, a Bronx-based tour company offering historic tours of some of our great neighborhoods often overlooked by many.

Alexandra was constantly contacting NYC & CO and asking why the Bronx is generally never promoted in their materials other than the usual suspects of Yankee Stadium, Bronx Zoo, and the New York Botanical Garden. The city has been getting millions upon millions of tourists but they were never directed up north so that we can capture some of the $35 billion generated annually in economic activity.

Most of her communications with NYC & CO went ignored or met with resistance. After an article in a local paper described Maruri’s battle with the tourism department to get them to do what’s right, they cancelled her membership out of retaliation and asked her to remove her Bronx marketing brochures from their tourist center.

Numerous calls and emails were sent but they refused to comment. Now several months later we see get this wonderful news and opportunity for the Bronx to shine and cash in on the tourism industry.

In their push for the Bronx, NYC & CO highlights Arthur Avenue with its many specialty shops and restaurants and Fordham Road with it’s urban shopping experience and merchandise, Loews Paradise Theater, and Edgar Allan Poe Cottage. They also recommend the Opera House Hotel in Melrose for tourists wishing to stay longer in the Bronx and catch more of our attractions.

To our international readers, of which there are many, the Bronx has always been ready for your visit and we hope you’ll come and enjoy your stay with us now that NYC & CO has given you even more of a reason to do so.

Stay tuned as we will continue to provide you with even more reasons to come visit us.

For excellent tours of our diverse borough, make sure to check out MCNY Tours so you can see the best of the Bronx tours!

If you want to know what to do with your kids and entire family, check out BronxMama.

Interested in the ever growing Bronx art scene? Then Jeffrey Guard and the Bronx Art Exchange is your go to destination!

Oh and don’t forget to take a walk with Ruth Papazian via her GoogleGlass as she shows you the Morris Park neighborhood (noted as the CLEANEST neighborhood in all of New York City) through her eyes.

RIP Banksy: Latest Bronx Banksy Piece Painted Over

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Bye, bye Banksy. Image credit: William Casari.

Banksy’s penultimate NYC piece in the Bronx by Yankee Stadium is no more.

It only lasted a few days before someone painted over it.

The Bronx can be really harsh against outsiders who just waltz right in and tag up walls in the borough where graf went world wide.

Local resident William Casari, who sent the above image, said, “What a waste; another loss for the Bronx…”.

Although it is a shame that it was painted over, such is the life of graf. Here today, gone tomorrow. Funny thing is that had it  been a Tats Cru or any other of our world renowned graf artists, it would still be there untouched for years to come.

Personally, I’m more upset about the loss of the wall below which was demolished to make way for a new development in Melrose.

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Old Mural once in Melrose was demolished to make way for a new development.

Oh and for all the Banksy lovers, please do visit the Bronx Art Exchange to read Jeffrey Guard’s review of the top ten most interesting Banksy works from October.

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‘Baron Ambrosia Is Dead’ Showing Tomorrow At The Andrew Freedman Home; Grand Master Mele Mel To Perform

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Screen capture from http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/11/01/nyregion/a-colorful-food-lovers-feast-for-the-eyes-starring-flavors-of-the-bronx.html?h=bAQHxZMnD&s=1

Tomorrow at the historic Andrew Freedman Home, our culinary ambassador and New York Emmy Winner, Baron Ambrosia, will premier his movie, ‘The Baron Is Dead’ along with a concert by the legendary Grand Master Mele Mel.

Many of you know the Baron from his Bronx Flavor show on BronxNet which takes the viewer on the many gastronomical delights the Bronx has to offer. His zany antics makes the show far more entertaining than anything you’ll encounter on the Food Network.

His shows eventually caught the eyes of the Cooking Channel where Baron Ambrosia continues to take us on his incredible journeys.

You may also remember that this past he was the first person to swim the entire length of the Bronx River and several years ago on a cold, winter’s night, we broke bread at the Old Bronx Courthouse and feasted upon beaver, possum, squirrel, racoon, fisher and yes, ants, silkworms and water bugs. I couldn’t eat the water bugs but the racoon was divine.

In her article in the New York Times, Winnie Hu says:

“If New York City’s fine dining establishments live by Michelin stars and Zagat ratings, the myriad homegrown restaurants and shops of the Bronx have their own roving critic. Those that please the Baron’s palate are recommended to his fans and featured in his ever-expanding portfolio of media projects, which includes podcasts and two culinary-themed shows on the Cooking Channel and BronxNet, a local cable television network.”

[read her full article at NYTIMES]

Tomorrow night’s itinerary at the Andrew Freedman Home is as follows:

6:00 PM Market of Mysteries will open (CASH)
7:00 PM Black U.N. UN Concert
7:45 PM Vodou blessing 
8:00 PM Film Screening
9:45 PM Grandmaster Mele Mel Concert Outdoor Event.

Dress Warm. Bring blankets & beach chairs. Families welcome.

Hope you are as excited about tomorrow night as I am! See you there!

Check out Baron Ambrosia’s website for some of his other projects.

Welcome2TheBronx Is On Facebook!

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Make sure you follow our community page on Facebook where you will always get the latest posts from Welcome2TheBronx and other sources!

Help make it YOUR community!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Welcome2TheBronx/196173003731912

Banksy Strikes In The Bronx Again This Time Across From Yankee Stadium

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It seems Banksy couldn’t resist the lure of the Bronx and came back to throw up on a wall across from Yankee Stadium this time a big cat (a cheetah?) with what appears to be tags adorning its body.

The latest piece is called “The Bronx Zoo (At Yankee Stadium) and I’m sure will be nowhere nearly as controversial as last week’s piece in Melrose.

Since you’ll be racing to the area, don’t forget to check out the very nearby Andrew Freedman Home for their latest exhibit,” Outside the Box”.

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Screen capture from BAXNYC

Jeffrey Guard, founder of Bronx Art Exchange has this to say about the exhibition:

“Outside the Box” is  filled with a fresh-frenetic-aggressive-Instagram sickness that no doubt will attract “cool hunters” from brands like Stüssy, Vans, and retailers like Urban Outfitters and Brooklyn Industries eager to hire these artists to design their showrooms for next season. 

Lady K Fever has successfully captured the pulse of the street art scene that has come to capture the current art movement that is happening in the South Bronx. The exhibit was filled with far more youth than I have seen in a very long time (at any art opening) and is indicative of the fact that street art has already connected to the next generation in a way that I have not seen other art forms accomplish.

(read the rest at the Bronx Art Exchange.)

But hurry because the exhibit closes tomorrow, November 1st! Doors are open from Noon to 5pm.

Once you’re done there, you can do this tour in reverse and end up at the “Ghetto 4 Life” piece on East 153rd and Elton Avenue and in the process, soaking up more of what we’ve been doing and offering for decades.