UPTOWN COLLECTIVE EXCLUSIVE – EMILIO SOSA SPEAKS

As promised, the Uptown Collective delivers this ultra-exclusive audio interview with fashion designer extraordinaire and Project Runway finalist Emilio Sosa.  Emilio chops it up with our very own Oscar Monte De Oca, the Uptown Fashionista, on life, style and Uptown.  Check out segments 1 and 2. More to come. stay tuned.

PART ONE

PART TWO

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TWO UC MEMBERS EMBARK ON A MISSION:

BY DeJesus

INSPIRE AND EDUCATE  A GROUP OF YOUNG DOMINICAN STUDENTS  FROM SOME OF AMERICA’S HIGHER LEARNING INSTITUTIONS AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY IN LESS THAN 36 HRS.

Leopold (Sound of Art) and M.Tony (The Peralta Project) received an invitation from the NATIONAL DOMINICAN STUDENT CONFERENCE  in early 2010 to host a workshop titled, DOMINICANS IN THE ARTS,on April 24th 2010 that was being held at Cornell University.   So these Uptowners accepted the invitation, rented a ZipCar (with a loose flapping bumper that drew attention from their highway vehicular neighbors) and took off on a 4 hr trip to Ithica, NY.  5 some odd hours later (of Krispy Kreme eating, wrong exit taking, only car on the road- what the hell are we doing out here driving?  Damn – There’s a barrier of  deer that just came out of nowhere dodging), they made it and were pleasantly embraced and welcomed by conference organizers.  After scoping out on and off campus grounds, they crashed in their dorm room.

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THE FIRE NEXT TIME…

BY Carolina Pichardo  

 

 

You would think that Washington Heights would get the red carpet treatment after all the commotion that the city made about us having the highest Census return rate.  Instead, it seems like we’re getting the same budget cuts and politics here as everywhere else. According to the offices of Council Members Ydanis Rodriguez, Elizabeth Crowley and Robert Jackson, one of our fire companies is in danger of closing.  Although it’s not clear whether Washington Heights’ Engine 93 is one of the 20 companies slated to be closed in June due to Bloomberg’s proposed budget, our firemen and district officials felt the need to ensure that this does not happen here (the rally was just one of several others throughout the city). City reports and statistics claim that this specific firehouse is one of the busiest companies, responding to emergencies in top-spots like Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital and the George Washington Bridge.

It was all very energetic and exciting to see this meeting in action, with all the firemen supporting each other and the top honchos there, including Community Board Chair Pamela Palanque-North. But I’ll be honest with you. I was sort of hoping for Sharpton or Governor Paterson to pop out somewhere in the background and spice things up. In my book, rallies, protests, gatherings, little league games, picnics, my cousin’s wedding are synonymous with their [image]. Then again, that could just be the too New Yorker, pessimistic side of me at it again.

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UC MILESTONE – OUR 100TH POST

BY Led Black

We did it Uptown.  We have now crossed the Rubicon – this is our 100^th post.  Going forward, we will continue to provide only the coolest, most cutting-edge, most relevant content on this truly vibrant community that we call home.  Uptown is in our blood.  Uptown is the hometown of hustle and we are its hometown heroes.  We would not have made to this point without the vision, faith and tenacity of Leopold, M. Tony Peralta and Rafael (R).  Many thanks go out to our contributors who have worked tirelessly to widen the range and scope of this endeavor – Carolina Pichardo, Briana E. Heard and Oscar Monte De Oca.  In the coming days, we will be adding a handful of new and exciting voices to the mix – so stay tuned.  Also, it is imperative that we highlight the early support that we received from the good folks at La Sala 78 (Jose Morales and Jimmy Ortega), Bodre Cut and Color Room (Hector Bodre) and La Pregunta (Yscaira Jimenez).  Last but not least, we cannot fail to mention our readers, the people that hit up our site on a daily basis, that tell their friends about us, that let us know that we are filling a void – many, many thanks.  At the end of the day, this is not our site – this is yours.  The future looks bright and it is ours to shape.  With all that said, come and celebrate the launch of this site as well as this important milestone tonight from 6 PM until whenever at one of our favorite haunts, Locksmith Bar (4463 Broadway – between 190^th and 192^nd street).

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STREET FASHIONS WITH OSCAR

In the debut episode of Street Fashions with Oscar, The Uptown Fashionista investigates the fascination with the Robin Jeans trucker hat.  You know the hat with the wings on the front panel that everyone and their mother is sporting around the streets of Uptown.  Oscar goes to one of the key sources that is responsible for the supply, the premiere uptown Boutique “PROBUS.”   In the video, Ivo and Rey share with us the rise of this Uptown Manhattan fad.   Check out the video below.

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HAVE CLIPPERS – WILL TRAVEL

BY Led Black

USA Today recently ran an interesting profile on Washington Heights native Angel Lucas Peña who has managed to become the unofficial barber of Major League Baseball.  “In the last few months, he has cut the hair of a wide array of baseball luminaries. From players such as Ryan Braun, Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder, Ryan Howard, Torii Hunter, Matt Kemp, Cliff Lee, Tim Lincecum, Manny Ramirez, CC Sabathia and Justin Upton to Hall of Famers Yogi Berra and Reggie Jackson to Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen to New York Mets general manager Omar Minaya”.  This man’s business is truly global, flying from coast to coast and going as far as Japan to style the hair of Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka.  Nicknamed Monster99 for his penchant for baseball jerseys with the number 99, Angel is even credited with helping fellow Washington Heights native Manny Ramirez in picking 99 as his new number when he became an L.A. Dodger.  Angel Lucas Peña epitomizes that good old Uptown hustle. 

Check out the full article: www.usatoday.com/

Check out Angel’s site: www.monster99.com/

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Picture of the week

Photography by Briana E. Heard

quitting time

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THEIR SALA IS YOUR SALA – LA SALA 78

BY Led Black

There is something special about La Sala 78 (111 Dyckman Street).  From the moment you enter through their doors, you feel that this is a place where you need to be.  Everything from the tasteful décor, to the eye-popping artwork on display, to the eclectic music playing in the background, to the enticing aromas wafting in the air, evokes a feeling of deep and delicious goodness.  La Sala which means the living room in Spanish is just that, a living, breathing, multi-faceted space.  A space to have a great meal, have a great conversation and enjoy a great piece of artwork.  The menu is decidedly lite, healthy and delectable, ranging from paninis, sandwiches and wraps to scrumptious salads.  My current favorite is the Chicken Pesto wrap.  Get this, they even have a special avocado section of the menu featuring different choices that include the awesome super food – avocado.  La Sala 78 also functions as a neighborhood art gallery, showcasing some truly impressive talent.  SOA artist extraordinaire, Joe Buck, is currently gracing their wall.  Not to mention that this is one of the fine retailers that features and sells the incredibly delightful Liga Masiva coffee.  Trust us; you just can’t go wrong with La Sala 78.  See you there.

For more info: www.lasala78.com/

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GET YOUR TAX DOLLARS WORTH…

Do you pay for a car, keep it at the dealership lot and just tell yourself, “Hey! I own a car”? NO, you pay for it, get in it, drive off the lot and put them wheels to use…so why should that be any different when it comes to municipal services, such as the NYC Police Dept.

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THE RESULTS ARE IN – WE DID IT AGAIN

Our dog in the race, Emilio Sosa, may not have won last week on Project Runway but the Washington Heights-Inwood neighborhood is number one in all of Manhattan in 2010 Census mail returns coming in with a whopping 73 percent.  Not only that but this is the second time in a row.  We also won in 2000 with 66 percent.  So not only did we win again but we somehow managed to improve on our stats.  Can you say three-peat?

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