Everything I knew about growing up I learned from watching Big in the ’80s. I wish I were kidding. I’m actually quite serious. Let’s review the lessons shall we?
1. Growing up ain’t everything it’s cracked up to be.
2. Be careful what you wish for.
3. You can always go back to being a kid — if you really want to.
So there’s no way I was going to miss watching Big on the big screen for the second night of Tribeca Film Festival’s Drive-In. Having grown up in the neighborhood, I only wish I could have seen the film this way the first time around… And did I mention Zoltar would be making an appearance? Continue reading A ‘Big’ Tribeca Drive-In With Gary Ross→
People love salsa — and not because it’s a delicious condiment, and not because it’s a fun word to say (though it really is). No, at last night’s Tribeca Film Festival world premiere of the documentary El Espiritu de la Salsa (The Spirit of Salsa), it was abundantly clear that New Yorkers love themselves some salsa music and, more importantly, some salsa dancing. Big time.
The film — about a Harlem-based salsa instructor named Tomas Guerrero who prepares a rabble group of dancing novices for a public performance — opened a series of Tribeca Film Fest “Drive-In” movies being shown Thursday, April 22, through Saturday, April 24, on a behemoth outdoor screen at the World Financial Center plaza (Big screens tonight and The Birth of Big Air tomorrow night). And the pre-screening atmosphere was electric … one might even say spicy.
I’d like to preface this by saying that I’m not a film critic, so I won’t be commenting on how great the shot compositions were, or how they used this or that documentary technique really well. What I can comment on, however, is how inspirational El Espiritu de la Salsa was. This is one of those movies that can totally change your life if you just let it.
New York can be a lonely place, especially for new comers, professionals with long work hours and dangerous jobs, and people who are newly single. The towering skyscrapers cast a feeling of gloom and doom over the city, and unless you know where to look, it can be hard to find those patches of sunlight. This documentary follows New Yorkers from all walks of life as they come up to Harlem to find that sunlight at Tomas Guerrero’s Santo Rico Dance School.
Tomas Guerrero in The Spirit of Salsa
Everyone is there for a different reason: a newly retired couple is looking to spice up their lives; a pastry chef seeks her next adventure; a newly single equities trader wants to learn how to be alone in the city after a three year relationship. Whatever problems these strangers are going through, they all hope the same thing-that salsa dancing will be the answer.
Slowly but surely, the spirit does its magic. You can tell just by watching them on their journey just how empowering salsa can be. There is something about the Latin music and the sultry moves that, according to one of the dancers, Jessica, allows girls to be sexy in an appropriate setting and manner. It also gave the men a way to be strong and manly, yet passionate at the same time. Sitting there in the audience amidst the cat calling and good cheer, you couldn’t help but smile at their transformations and tap your feet along to the music.
No matter who you are, there will be somebody in this documentary that you can relate to. And who knows, maybe one of them will inspire you to take up salsa classes or your own personal adventure. Tomas Guerrero ends the movie by claiming that he can teach anyone to salsa. My only question, where can I sign up?
In case you’ve been too busy composting, recycling and campaigning to rid the globe of toxins to remember the date, here’s a news flash for you: Today, April 22, marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day.
Now, James Cameron would have you believe that the best way to celebrate this esteemed occasion is by purchasing Avatar on DVD and watching those big blue anteater-type-deals get their jollies by plugging their ponytails into each others orifices. While we have nothing in particular against Pandorans and what they do with their hair, we respectfully beg to differ with Mr. King of the World.
For our money, there’s no better way to spend Earth Day ’10 than by heading down to Battery Park and, you know, getting in touch with nature. And if the glorious 70-degree temps, the newly budding trees and the breathtaking water vistas aren’t enough to convince you, perhaps you’d be interested to know that BPC is sweetening the pot with a barrage of activities and art exhibits that are 100% free, 100% interesting and 200% eco-friendly.
Happy Birthday Earth Day! Today is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and in celebration of this occasion there will be all-day events in and around the neighborhood. Being that our neighborhood is considered one of the greenest in the nation, we cannot back down on festivities. Events which include everything from Bird Watching with the BPC Parks Conservancy to arts and crafts event at the NYPL for children, there is something for everyone today. Find out more about the events with our rundown.
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The pedestrian detour on the Liberty Street Bridge.
The Liberty Bridge has survived many years of pedestrian traffic, not to mention the events Sept. 11. Starting today, daily users of the bridge will be forced to follow the new pedestrian traffic patterns.
The Port Authority has commenced construction on a pedestrian detour that will take people off the side of the Liberty Street Bridge and stretch all the way to Church Street on the east side of the World Trade Center (WTC) site.
Traffic patterns are changing to accommodate for the construction of a new underground parking facility. The annex and pedestrian detour will add some time to your daily commute, but will ultimately help commuters to completely bypass crossing the 16-acre WTC construction zone.
According to a report from 1010 Wins, “the change will pave the way for excavation to begin for the Vehicle Security Center, the main entrance to the underground parking and delivery areas at the trade center complex.”
TFF goes green for 'Shrek Forever After' premiere.
What do Shrek, Robert De Niro and Beastie Boys band member Mike D have in common? They’re all descending upon Lower Manhattan this week to celebrate the ninth birthday of the Tribeca Film Festival, running April 21 to May 2.
The 2010 fest, which kicks off tonight at the Ziegfeld Theater with the star-studded red-carpet premiere of Shrek Forever After, has come a long way since its inaugural run in 2002. Back then, with Tribeca still trying to shake off the sorrow and dust of the unimaginable tragedy of Sept. 11, acting legend and Tribeca resident Bobby De Niro, his producing partner Jane Rosenthal and her husband Craig Hatkoff banded together to found the annual celebration of film, music and culture with one ambitious goal in mind: rejuvenate the neighborhood economically, culturally, spiritually.
Their gambit seems to have succeeded. What began as a modest forum for the work of indie filmmakers and documentarians has blossomed into one of the premier film fests in America, attracting tiny independent movies and gargantuan blockbusters alike. But, more importantly, the festival coaxes visitors to Tribeca, once again a vibrant community bursting with beautiful parks, exceptional restaurants and a bounty of things to do.
The Urban Land Institute (ULI), an organization that awards urban spaces for excellence, announced that The Visionaire is one of the Top 10 winners of the ULI’s Awards for Excellence: The America’s Competition.
Battery Park City’s Visionaire was one of the major developments in the neighborhood to receive the distinction of receiving LEED-Platinum certification for its use of solar panels, geothermic walls and an on-site water treatment plant, paving the way for green initiatives in city living.
The developers of the site are Starwood Capital and the Albanese Organization, the latter of which is also the developer of another green building in the neighborhood: the Solaire.
This is not the only award for the Visionaire, as the building and it’s sister building Solaire have also won the ULI’s Heritage Award.
Residents all over the city let out a sigh of relief this morning when they were able to greet their doorman on their way to work today. The doorman strike, which threatened to cripple the privileges of the upper crust by way of losing the ability to having Fresh Direct sent to their door.
The Service Employees International Union, Local 32BJ that represents doorman and the property owners of nearly 3,2000 buildings which employ them were able to reach a resolution, averting a strike that was to start at 7am this morning.
The major point of contention was the proposed cuts in doormen’s health care and other benefits. Ultimately both sides agreed to a four year contract which includes a 10% increase and no cuts to benefits.
One can make light of the possibility of a strike as affected only the high brow parts of society, except that history proves the severity of a doorman strike. In 1991, a strike lasted for 12 days during which garbage had piled up on sidewalks and deemed a public health nuisance because sanitation workers refused to cross picket lines. A more serious aggravation as compared to losing the ability to have someone help you with your luggage.
For any New York City resident who calls a doorman part of their home, today is the fateful day for the settling of contract negotiations between the doormen’s union and New York City. If the two sides do not agree to a contract by midnight, doorman building residents will all turn into Cinderellas tomorrow, having to haul trash and accept their own packages (the horror!).
Here’s a quick rundown on how this possibly affects you — should you live in a doorman building. These are overall guidelines and may be different depending on your building.
