Weekend Warriors . . . Can you dig it?

As I sit here at work (ssssshhhhh), it look like the sun is trying to make a comeback and it gives me hope . . . hope for a GOOD weekend.
Yesterday wifey and I went to this fundraiser for this new non-profit African Health Now. They help address health care issues for Africans here and abroad. It was a very good event and we met some great people. I'll have to let you guys know about their next event.

Anyways here your list . . .

1.

Tribeca Film Fest is having their Free Drive-IN Screening weekend starting today . . .yeah yeah it's raining - whatever.
Myself, I am going to check out Planet B-Boy (click for the trailer). There has been quite some buzz about this one.
And not to mention, on some level, I feel like I was a b-boy in my past life (although I'm not sure how that would work out considering (a) I was born in 1979 and (b) I don't believe in reincarnation) This movie looks GOOD! and i mean GOOD!

2.

The Coffee and Tea Festival hits NYC again this weekend.
Saturday April 28th - 11am - 6pm
Sunday April 29th - 10am - 5pm
@
Metropolitan Pavilion
125 West 18th Street
$20 gets you a slew of tastings and seminars (yes I said slew)

3.

Sunday ( IS supposed to be the nicest day so the 9th Annual Blakkat May Day Celebration should be a good time. Live music in a park, etc, etc.
Disclaimer 1: They are in the process of changing location and time so you will need to check their site for updates
Disclaimer 2: I have actually never been to this event but I have heard that it was cool. Also judging from the video on the website it was a pretty ECELECTIC crowd, but I did notice a lot of hippies - not that there's anything wrong with hippies. Hippies can have fun too. Just letting you know . . .

4.

UNTITLED
An Exhibition Of Original Skateboard Art
April 12 - May 5th
@
Eyejammie
516 W. 25th St.
This art show looks pretty interesting . . .

"Eyejammie & Consolidated Skateboards have linked up to present a group exhibition of painters, photographers, illustrators, clothing designers, graff writers, vinyl toy designers, skaters, musicians, graphic designers, moms, dads, cats and dogs. For Untitled, each artist was given a blank skateboard deck to create - with no instructions or time limitations."

HUMAN GIANT

These guys are great! If you never seen any of their stuff here in NYC or on the web they have a show on VH1 now called . . . Human Giant. This one a spoof on Chris Angel's MindFreak. Teleport!

First there's today, then there's tomorrow . . .

TODAY

Spank Rock @ Virgin Mega Union Sq
Apr 24th, 2007
@
Virgin MEGA Union Sq. NYC
Cover: FREE
SPANK ROCK 2 Hour DJ set!
Tuesday April 24th 7pm-9pm
FREE!
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BAILE FUNK

Apr 24, 2007

@

APT

DJ Sujinho & DJ Cassiano

Cover: FREE

10 - until

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TOMORROW

RAZA @ CIELO (This looks good!)
For more information:
www.myspace.com/razanyc
www.myspace.com/yaesta
Wednesday, April 25th, 2007
6 - 11pm
$5 before 7pm
$10 with flyer or RSVP to muzikbutrfly@earthlink.net
$15 at the door

Cielo
18 Little West 12th Street Between Washington & 9th Avenue
A,C,E,1,2,3;L to 14th Street
www.cieloclub.com

"To bring in the spring season RAZA, the newest Latin party in the Meat Packing District, returns with a celebration of cultural heritage... featuring Bryan Vargas & ¡Ya Está! on the live music tip. Juan Valentín will provide ‘la música’ on the turntables that will be sure to keep the dance floor ‘the place to be’. And, for those of you that may be lacking in Latin dance moves, Rodney Lopez (the famed dance instructor in the film MAD HOT BALLROOM) will give a one-hour dance class to begin the evening. "

"One of New York's underground more prolific djs/musical programmers, Juan Valentín is a veritable old-schooler whose musical programming promises to elevate RAZA's revelers and take them on a musical journey from the Old World streets of Latin American ancestral homelands to the pavement of ‘El Barrio’, NYC in the mid-seventies. He bestly combines the new and throw-back sounds that have been the result of musical fusions of the multi-cultural people that make up Nuyoricans; salsa, rumba, deep house, boogaloo, soul, Afro-Latin, Bossa Nova, folkloric, Latin jazz, just to begin..."

Hungry? + For the Philanthropist in You

What's good folks? I hope everyone has been enjoying this fluctuating spring weather we've been having lately. So what have I been up to? Let's see . . . I'll give you some highlights :-)

I went to an art exhibit by Alexander Reyna with lots of tall German people (i felt short, everybodywas over 6' 5" - crazy!). Note to self art exhibits are great for free fermented beverages and random convo. So I went to this exhibit with my boy James a.k.a the Birdman (you can check his blog in my links section). Man, we ended up talking to a random dude about astrology, how to test which eye is your dominant eye, a new type of book called smartbook that hovers over you while you lay down you don't have to hold it (i still don't get it . . . it's not digital or holographic ???), and a bunch of other stuff that I don't normally talk about with somebody I wouldn't normall talk to (not you James!). Anyway, point being it was actually an interesting conversation. I learned a lot a kind of forced myself out of being in a familiar situation. I gotta tell you you'd be surprised how much stuff you can have a conversation about if you just start talking about stuff - and you don't even need a segue!

You can just start talking about something else - kind of like this . . . I also went to the NY Times Travel Show @ Jacob Javits (and I DID post it . . . i think) which was amazing! If any of you want to go travelling through Europe, I went to this seminar by this guy Rick Steves - http://www.ricksteves.com/ that was GREAT! I learned so many things about how to save money and time when travelling through Europe.

I went skiing up in the Berkshires with wifey and oh yeah! - fractured my wrist on my last run of the night. aaaaaaaaaand then I had to drive for 1 hour in a blizzard (insert literary license here) with a PAINFULLY throbbing wrist to the nearest hospital . . . and drive back another hour to my timeshare. Needless to say . . . that sucked. oh yeah and it was my left wrist, and i'm left handed >:- So because of this stupid injury I can't cook or dj or ytpe (that was a joke) or go to the gym. Man I am bored!

Alright so to get back on track - I have a couple great food events for you to check out (thanks to Laura Dee for the info . . .)

4-26-07 -- TASTE OF THE LOWER EAST SIDE @ The Altman Building (135 W. 18thSt.)
7-11pm
See preview invitation here
"A sampling of the food and spirit from New York's most dynamic neighborhood. 37 of the Manhattan's hottest Lower East Side and East Village restaurants offer tastings, and a full open bar.
Featuring a silent auction and DJ. Business card raffle drawing to win a Sub-Zero 46-bottle Freestanding wine storage unit"
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Every Tuesday - VINO-VERSITY
@ Divine Bar West (236 W. 54th St. b\w B'way and 8th Ave.)
$35 in advance - go to their website for ticket info
$45 at the door, if available
call 212-265-WINE for more info
"Walk-Around Classes" with 24-36 wines.
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4-26-07 - African Health Now Launch Reception
@ Sun West Studios (450 W. 31st Street, 10th floor between 9th & 10th aves.)
7-10 pm
Please RSVP by April 10th to neyeson@africanhealthnow.org
The evening will include A cocktail reception, open bar and silent auction
Dress: Business Casual
AFRICAN HEALTH NOW is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the health and health care of Africans by providing community education, accessibility to resources and by strengthening social networks.
And this IS a Fundraiser, so bring your checkbooks.
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5-3-07 - "HUSTLERS 4 A CURE" CINCO de MAYO AIDS WALK BENEFIT
@ Sante Fe Grill (244 E. 79th St. b\w 2nd and 3rd Aves.)
5-9pm
$5 (which includes 1 free raffle ticket)
extra raffles are $2 ea. or 3 for $ 5!
A LOT of margarita (THEY'RE GOOOOOD!!!!), sangria, wine and beer specials!
There will be raffle prizes including, free private dance classes @ Arthur Murray Dance Studios, free wine giveaways, dinner giveaways and more!
Come out and support team "Hustlers 4 A Cure" on 5\3\07 as they raise money for AIDS WALK NEW YORK which is on Sunday, 5\20\07