EXCITING EVENTS AROUND THE BRONX: APRIL 2022
By Great Performances
BRONX NIGHT MARKET RETURNS!
Saturday, April 30th from 1:00pm-7:00pm
Location: Fordham Plaza
We are a small, diverse, majority female-operated team that’s passionate about creating fun and informed experiences for the “love-to-eat” community. We aim to showcase the vibrancy of the Bronx and its convergence with food and culture and create valuable opportunities for more micro-businesses and young entrepreneurs.
The idea is simple—curate a space for a diverse group of vendors to sell freshly made, delicious food, have local artists present their craft and create a platform for local entertainers to perform. Make it safe, affordable, approachable, and family-friendly. Simple, right?! Fordham Plaza proved to be the ideal location for our monthly celebrations: it is centrally located, easily accessible, and surrounded by a robust and supportive community hungry for activations. Founder Marco Shalma aligned our mission to improve commerce and aid in community initiatives with the guidance of Wilma Alonso, Director of the Fordham Road BID.
TREE PLANTING IN BRONX FOREST
Wednesday, April 20th from 9:30am-12:00pm
Location: Burke Avenue Bridge, Bronx Park, Bronx NY 10467
Celebrate Earth Week and help preserve vital habitat along the river by planting native trees in Bronx Forest! Find our team at the Burke Avenue Bridge in Bronx Park on Wednesday, April 20th from 9:30am-12pm.
BRONX RIVER OPEN HOUSE!
Saturday, April 23rd from 12:00pm-4:00pm
Location: 1490 Sheridan Blvd, Bronx, NY 10459
Join us as we officially open the Bronx River House for a celebration of community and an immersive demonstration of the programs that the Bronx River Alliance has to offer!
Activities will include:
- a community canoe paddling event
- kid-friendly environmental education programming
- a pop-up bike repair station and workshop
- a bagged compost giveaway (and food scrap drop off)
- and more!
RUN FOR THE WILD 2022
Saturday, April 30th at 8:00am
Each year, the WCS Run for the Wild raises awareness of the threats facing wildlife while fundraising to help WCS’s conservation work at the Bronx Zoo and around the world.
The 5k race for individual runners will begin at 8:00 a.m.; casual runners and walkers can take part in the 3K Family Fun Run/Walk at 9:30 a.m.
More than 5,000 runners and walkers are expected to participate in this year’s event. All are welcome to stay after the race to take part in post-run activities and visit the Bronx Zoo.
Runners, walkers, and wildlife supporters are invited to participate and/or support a participant.
BE A PLANT CHAMPION!
Saturday, March 26th through Friday, June 3rd
Tuesdays–Saturdays; 1:30pm–5:30pm
Saturdays, Sundays, and School Breaks; 10:00am–5:30pm
Discover sustainable solutions for a healthy planet during Plant Champions! Activities include crafting a seed ball to grow pollinator friendly native plants in your neighborhood, designing a collage that envisions the future planet you want to see, and exploring amazing ecosystems in our wetland and compost pile.
Weekends and School Breaks
Listen to stories celebrating plant champions and environmental change makers at our Swamp Oak Story Spot at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Welcome back the popular Spanish/English sing-along program Bilingual Birdies! Enjoy new songs and activities each week in this 45 minute interactive program at the Swamp Oak Story Spot.
DIG! PLANT! GROW!
WAKE UP, GARDEN!
Saturday, April 9th through Sunday, May 8th
Tuesdays–Saturdays; 1:30pm–5:30pm
Sundays and Monday Holidays; 10:00am–5:30pm
Celebrate spring at the Edible Academy! Get started gardening by sowing seeds, digging, and watering. Explore the garden and look for signs of spring. Children are invited to sift and save compost to take home.
Each season offers a new theme to investigate through hands-on activities and take-home projects at the Edible Academy!
NATURE IN POETRY HIKE
Saturday, April 9th from 1:00pm-2:00pm
Free to Join
Join the Rangers for a walk around Hunter Island as we reflect on poetry inspired by the outdoors. Read or write your own nature inspired poems with us.
KIDS WEEK: BIRDING FOR KIDS
Wednesday, April 20th from 1:00pm-2:00pm
Free to Join
Even when school’s out, our parks are still the city’s natural classroom! Bring your kids to parks throughout the city for Kids Week during Spring recess. With programs led by our Urban Park Rangers, kids will get to experience nature in a hands-on and fun way. Let’s learn how to get an up close look at birds without the need for wings! We will teach you ways to identify birds by sight and sounds.
FAMILY FUN HIKE: CELEBRATING PLANET EARTH
Saturday, April 16th from 10:00am – 12:00pm
Ticket Information: Start at $5
Celebrating Planet Earth!
Let’s come together to celebrate all the wild creatures on planet Earth! Keep your eyes and ears open for signs of forest creatures. Van Cortlandt Park is home to squirrels, raccoons, chipmunks and the occasional groundhog. Can you spot a nest? Or a secret burrow? Afterwards, let’s create our own creatures using pinecones and other natural material.
WOODLAWN BEAUTIFICATION DAYS
Saturday, April 30th from 10:00am – 1:00pm
Volunteers needed to care for and beautify the Wildflower Garden and area around Woodlawn Playground in Van Cortlandt Park.
Join VCPA, Women of Woodlawn and Woodlawn Taxpayers Association as we continue to beautify the area around Woodlawn Playground. Projects will include removing non-native invasive plants, planting native species and general clean-up around the playground and in the wildflower garden.
EXCITING EVENTS AROUND NEW YORK: APRIL 2022
By Great Performances
Explore Great Music, Art and More at Our Partner Venues This Month!
LYRICIST LOUNGE 30TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
April 16th at 8:00pm
Ticket Information: Start at $45
What began as a regular gathering of some of New York’s best underground MCs at various locations around New York City has grown into one of hip hop’s most recognized platforms, showcasing newcomers and veterans alike on national concert tours, albums, documentaries, and the popular MTV sketch comedy series, The Lyricist Lounge Show.
Celebrate 30 years of the iconic Lyricist Lounge at this not-to-be-missed event.
Headliner:
KRS-One
DJ:
Kid Capri
Featuring:
Bahamadia
Grand Puba
Mr. Cheeks
With:
Buckshot
CL Smooth
Cru
Large Professor
Rah Digga
Talib Kweli
NEW BLACK FEST: READINGS
1st Reading: April 22 at 7:00 PM ET
2nd Reading: April 23 at 7:00 PM ET
3rd Reading: April 25 at 7:00 PM ET
Ticket Information: $25
How did the artists of the Harlem Renaissance respond to the historic events that shaped their time? And how are contemporary creatives dealing with the issues of the present moment in their own work? These questions lie at the heart of the Apollo commission of the New Black Fest, which has engaged 18 contemporary playwrights to explore these themes in 10-minute plays.
Over the course of three staged readings, each playwright will premiere their new work, dramatically performed by an exciting cast of actors and readers. Participating playwrights include James Ijames, Eric Micha Holmes, Dahlak Brathwaite, Donja Love, Dennis A. Allen II, Christina Anderson, and Mfoniso Udofia. This event will be taking place on the Apollo’s Soundstage.
CYRANO DE BERGERAC
Tuesday, April 5th through Sunday, May 22nd
Location: BAM Strong, Harvey Theater
Ticket Information: Start at $45
US Theater Premiere
Direct from London’s West End, three-time Olivier-nominated stage and screen actor James McAvoy (The Last King of Scotland, Atonement, X-Men) makes his BAM debut in a radical new adaptation of Edmond Rostand’s masterwork by Martin Crimp, with direction by Jamie Lloyd (Betrayal).
McAvoy leads a superb ensemble in this “breathtakingly exciting” (Evening Standard) theatrical tour-de-force that captures timeless passion through spoken word, contemporary poetry, and raw physicality. Cyrano seduces in raps and rhymes, using his linguistic brilliance to help another man win the heart of his one true love—above all—championing his own unbridled love for words.
Winner of the Olivier Award for Best Revival, the Jamie Lloyd Company’s latest production blazes into the Harvey Theater to celebrate Cyrano’s powerful resistance against overwhelming odds.
CANDOCO DANCE COMPANY
Friday, April 8th and Saturday, April 9th
Location: Peter Jay Sharp Building, BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
Ticket Information: Start at $25
The first professional company in the UK dedicated to the integration of disabled and non-disabled dancers, Candoco is driven by world-class artists committed to challenging what dance can be. They restage Trisha Brown’s iconic Set and Reset, originally commissioned by BAM for its first Next Wave in 1983. In collaboration with Trisha Brown Dance Company, Candoco takes Brown’s original guidelines and choreographic phrases to include dancers with disabilities for the first time in Set and Reset/Reset. Israeli-American choreographer Yasmeen Godder worked closely with the company to create Face In, an uninhibited piece that’s sensual, disturbing, and ridiculous by turns—but always deeply personal.
IN C
Thursday, April 28th through Saturday, April 30th
Location: Peter Jay Sharp Building, BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
Ticket Information: Start at $25
Any kind of instrument. Any number of performers. Terry Riley’s one page score for In C invites interpretation in the extreme.
Choreographer Sasha Waltz takes up the challenge—and the open-ended possibilities—in this playful, expressive new work, accompanied live by the electric Bang on a Can All-Stars. Waltz builds on her interdisciplinary practice to create an adaptable movement system inspired by Riley’s score. Created through an experimental artistic process incorporating digital development and performance, In C explores the potential of flexible creative production in extreme circumstances and of artistic exchange, even across national borders. It comes to the BAM stage for its US premiere, offering a dazzling interplay of structured improvisation and synchronicity that, like Riley’s music, sweeps audiences up on a journey toward the ecstatic.
SIGNATURE COCKTAIL BY ODE TO BABEL
Saturday, April 2nd from 5:00-10:00pm
Location: The Norm Restaurant and Bar, 1st Floor
Toast the return of First Saturday with a specialty cocktail, created by Crown Heights bar Ode to Babel, that pays tribute to the vibes of this signature Brooklyn event. Served throughout the Museum or at The Norm Restaurant.
MUSIC: ISA REYES, BATHE, & THE LAY OUT
Saturday, April 2nd
Location: Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin Pavilion and Lobby, 1st Floor
5:00-6:00pm: Isa Reyes
New York–based musician Isa Reyes offers a performance that blends R&B and indie pop to create a unique, atmospheric sound.
7:00-8:00pm: Bathe
Catch a musical set by Bathe, the dreamy surf-rock/R&B melding of Brooklyn-based duo Devin Hobdy and Corey Smith-West.
8:30-10:00pm: The Lay Out
Close out the evening with The Lay Out—a community event built during the time of the pandemic, creating moments for and by Black people to reclaim space, time, energy, and one another in the continued fight for justice—featuring sets by Niara Sterling, Quiana Parks, and friends.
DANISH STRING QUARTET
Friday, April 22nd at 8:00pm
Ticket Information: Start at $30
Time after time, the Grammy Award-nominated Danish String Quartet receives critical acclaim for their powerful performances. As “one of the best quartets before the public today” (The Washington Post), the group brings a unique expressivity to the music, whether it be Haydn, Shostakovich, or a contemporary score. In this performance, they play works by Britten and Schubert as well as a specially curated suite of dances by John Adams, Charpentier, and Felix Blumenfeld.
JAZZMEIA HORN
Presented in Collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center
Saturday, April 30th at 8:00pm
Ticket Information: Start at $30
Sublime vocalist Jazzmeia Horn brings her finely tuned vocal skills to Caramoor, showcasing her songs of daring musicality, emotional power, and social relevance. Having emerged as one of the brightest stars on the rise in the jazz scene, the aptly named singer has earned the adoration of audiences around the world with her unique spin on the jazz tradition, touched by hints of R&B and hip hop. If Ella or Billie were alive today, they might just sound like Jazzmeia!
CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE BIG BAND
Thursday, April 7th through Sunday, April 10th
Location: Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center
Ticket Information: Start at $40
ABOUT THE SHOW
Grammy Award–winning bassist Christian McBride first composed for big band in 1995 as a commission for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. The master musician has since appeared on over 300 recordings and is easily one of the most accomplished bassists alive. Now a leader of his own Grammy Award–winning Big Band, featuring a staggering and diverse lineup of top musicians, McBride simultaneously shows off his compositional talent and unmatched ability to drive a band from behind the bass. This hip group combines the classic big band sounds of the Swing Era with more than half a century of post-bop influences. You simply can’t go wrong when McBride is in charge.
CHICK COREA AFRO-CARIBBEAN EXPERIENCE
WITH ELIO VILLAFRANCA AND FRIENDS
Friday, April 15th and Saturday, April 16th
Location: Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center
Ticket Information: $45
ABOUT THE SHOW
Chick Corea was quoted in a 2019 Billboard interview as saying, “That [Latin] flavor, I find, is mostly in everything I do; it’s a part of me.” As we celebrate jazz icon Chick Corea, who tragially passed away in 2020, in Rose Theater for two nights, Cuban pianist Elio Villafranca will delve into the maestro’s music from a distinctly Afro-Caribbean meets Jazz perspective, joined by a cadre of master musicians at Dizzy’s. When Jazz at Lincoln Center hosted a week-long Chick Corea Festival in 2013, Chick hand-picked the musicians he wanted to see and hear at Dizzy’s, with Elio Villafranca being one of them. Chick’s masterful storytelling knew no bounds—from Bach and Bartok to the Blues, from Stravinksy to Samba, Mozart to Montunos, Ravel and Rhumba—all tempered with the language of swing with the Spanish Tinge. Revisiting a riveting performance from January, Villafranca return to Dizzy’s when the House of Swing will be in full Chick Corea celebration!
PERFORMANCE LINEUP
Elio Villafranca, piano
Freddie Hendrix, trumpet
Donny McCaslin, tenor saxophone
Edward Perez, bass
Eric Harland, drums
Mauricio Herrera, percussion
CELEBRATING CHICK COREA
PRESENTED AS PART OF THE ERTEGUN JAZZ CONCERT SERIES
Friday, April 15th and Saturday, April 16th
Location: Rose Theater
Ticket Information: Start at $55
WHAT TO EXPECT
A celebration of the late Chick Corea’s expansive musical career, spanning six decades of genre-bending contributions to straight ahead jazz, jazz fusion, avant-garde, Latin jazz, children’s music and classical progressive rock.
Directed by longtime bandmate John Patitucci with guest performances by an A-list of Corea’s past collaborators and band members.
ABOUT THE CONCERT
The late, legendary pianist and composer Chick Corea found endless delight in creating and uncovering — and discovering — new musical wonders. Corea’s restless spirit guided a career that spanned nearly six decades, earned 24 Grammy Awards and 60 nominations, and blazed new compositional trails across the terrain of jazz music and beyond; contributing hundreds of songs — many of which are considered standards — to jazz, jazz fusion, avant-garde, Latin jazz, children’s music, and classical progressive rock.
This evening—under the musical direction of his longtime bandmate, bassist John Patitucci—we pay tribute to the iconic artist with guest performances by an A-list of Corea’s past collaborators and band members from both his acoustic and electric explorations. Join us for a celebration of Chick’s genre-bending music, which continues to inspire generations of musicians and fans around the world.
The all-star lineup paying tribute to Corea will include Wynton Marsalis on trumpet; singer and activist Rubén Blades; flutist Hubert Laws; pianists Renee Rosnes, Billy Childs, Robert Rodriguez, and Geoffrey Keezer; jazz fusion guitarist Frank Gambale; bassists Christian McBride and Carlos Henriquez; drummers Steve Gadd, Dave Weckl, Brian Blade, and Antonio Sanchez; percussionist Luisito Quintero; trumpeter Mike Rodriguez; and saxophonists Eric Marienthal, Ted Nash, and Chris Potter. The evening also includes a reunion performance by the members of Corea’s Grammy-nominated Elektric Band, featuring Marienthal, Patitucci, and Weckl.
CHARLES MINGUS CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
FEATURING THE JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA WITH WYNTON MARSALIS
Friday, April 22nd and Saturday, April 23rd Location: Rose Theater Ticket Information: Start at $40WHAT TO EXPECT
- A celebration of jazz luminary Charles Mingus under the direction of the JLCO’s Vincent Gardner.
- Timeless Mingus classics reinterpreted by the JLCO, with swinging hard bop, Afro-Latin grooves, deep blues feeling, classical structures, and more.
ABOUT THE CONCERT
One of the most important figures in jazz, Charles Mingus was a virtuoso bass player, accomplished pianist, bandleader, and genius composer. He performed with Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and more, and his singular compositional voice led many to consider him as the heir apparent to Duke Ellington. A fierce advocate for musicians’ rights and creative efforts, Mingus remains, even half a century after his passing, an inspiration for artists seeking to blaze their own trails and take charge of their own destinies.
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis gives a centenary performance in honor of the great Charles Mingus with music direction by Vincent Gardner. With a blend of swinging hard bop, Afro-Latin grooves, and deeply felt blues that characterized Mingus’s pen, this concert celebrates why Mingus’s music remains some of the most beloved of all time.
PH x TEENS: POSTERS IN COUTURE
Friday April 22nd from 4:30pm–6:00pm
Ticket Information: FREE
Drawing inspiration from Poster House’s fashion-forward exhibition Ethel Reed: I Am My Own Property, PH x Teens: Posters in Couture invites young adults ages 13 to 18 to explore their unique passions and interests through the creation of a mirrored poster. Using diverse materials, from glass chips to reflective vinyl, teens will create their own image of the world that both literally and figuratively reflects them, as Ethel Reed did over 100 years ago.
PH x Teens: Posters in Couture is a drop-in program for young adults ages 13 to 18. Advanced registration is required but participants are not expected to stay the entire time; guests should plan to spend about an hour on this interactive, self-guided activity.
POSTER KIDS: FROM PHOTOMONTAGE TO COLLAGE
Sunday, April 24th from 10:30am-12:15pm
Ticket Information: FREE with reservation
This month’s Poster Kids will focus on the many meanings of “cut and paste.” Together, we’ll look at posters that use photomontage and paste-up techniques, and then create our own collaged story cubes inspired by our gallery explorations.
CONFEDERATES
Tuesday, March 8th through Sunday, April 24th
Ticket Information: Start at $35
Sara, an enslaved rebel turned Union spy, and Sandra, a tenured professor in a modern-day private university, are having parallel experiences of institutional racism, though they live over a century apart. This New York premiere by MacArthur Genius Fellow Dominique Morisseau, directed by Stori Ayers, leaps through time to trace the identities of these two Black American women and explore the reins that racial and gender bias still hold on American educational systems today.
A CASE FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
Tuesday, April 12th through Sunday, May 15th
Ticket Information: Start at $35
Inside a cubicle in a small office in southern Idaho, two men struggle to meet the confounding terms on a loan. MacArthur Fellow Samuel D. Hunter launches his residency with this thoughtful meditation on human resilience, directed by David Cromer (Tony Award- winner, The Band’s Visit).
PUBLIQUARTET WITH SPECIAL GUEST BOB STEWART
Saturday, April 16th from 2:00-3:00pm
Location: Armor Hall
Ticket Information: $30 Adult/$14 Child (8-18); includes admission to the grounds. Advance tickets $2 off. Wave Hill Members save 10%
This performance features:
Curtis Stewart – Violin
Jannina Norpoth – Violin
Nick Revel – Viola
Hamilton Berry – Cello
Special Guest: Bob Stewart – Tuba
Indoor concerts return to Wave Hill’s Armor Hall with a performance by the Grammy-nominated PUBLIQuartet and special guest Bob Stewart. The quartet performs music by celebrated young composers, including Jessie Montgomery (who was herself a founding member of the group), Vijay Iyer and Rhiannon Giddens, as well as their own creative arrangements of songs by Marvin Gaye and Duke Ellington. Concert begins at 2PM and lasts approximately one hour without intermission. Ages 8 and older welcome with an adult
PUBLIQuartet is known for its electrifying performances and for thoughtfully curated programs that expertly combine composed music with improvisation. The tuba legend Bob Stewart, who also happens to be quartet violinist Curtis Stewart’s father, joins the group for a performance of “In Color” by Jessie Montgomery.
ARBOR WEEKEND
Thursday, April 28th through Saturday, April 30th
Location: See events for details
Ticket Information: Free with admission to the grounds
Join us as we celebrate the trees in our gardens and neighborhoods with walks, art-making, kid-friendly activities and more! By popular demand, arborists from Almstead Tree, Shrub & Lawn Care return to this spring to host a family-favorite activity, the Junior Arborist Station.
ROBOT HEART PRESENTS FARE FORWARD
Saturday, April 30th through Sunday, May 1st
Ticket Information: Start at $190.55
The Robot Heart Foundation is bringing the original Robot Heart Bus to New York City for a weekend filled with world-class performances, artistic experiences, next-level dining, and conscious revelry.
The line-up includes the DJ Dill, musical artists Formerly (preview), International DJ and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté, Turkish DJ and producer Carlita, musician Acid Pauli, musical artists The Illustrious Blacks, Canadian folk music band The Weather Station, DJ and producer Behrouz, British musicians Cymande, DJ and live performer Francesca Lombardo and Danish electronic artist Be Svendsen.
Many more notable music artists have played at Wollman Rink Music Festivals, including B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, Tina Turner, Patti Smith, Neil Young, Bob Marley, Led Zeppelin, Meatloaf, Debbie Harry, Bruce Springsteen, The Who and the Doors, to name a few.
Fare Forward reignites this historical venue with a range of talent, multisensory production and the sensurround sound that music lovers have come to expect from the Robot Heart art car.
Fare Forward is part memorial for our founder, Geo, part 50th birthday celebration of our 1972 English bus and part celebration of 15 years of the Robot Heart community, Fare Forward is an invitation to appreciate the present moment. Achieve a state of unity. And transcend the material through an elation of the senses.
APRIL FOOD FESTIVAL: RAMPS
Each month, our Great Performances menus feature seasonal ingredients. It’s our way of celebrating the earth and bringing our special touch to every menu.
Ramps are a type of allium, a vegetable family that also includes garlic, onions, scallions and leeks. Ramps have many compounds that are being studied for potential health benefits. Quercetin and organosulfur compounds in ramps may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Organosulfur compounds also give ramps their smell and taste.
Ramps and other alliums are good for gut health. Ramps are rich in prebiotics, a type of carbohydrate found in plant foods that encourages the growth of good gut bacteria.
Richard Brown, our Executive Chef of CPS Events at the Plaza, created a delicious ramps dish for us.
Comte Grilled Cheese with Roasted Ramp Honey on Brioche
by Richard Brown
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Comte cheese, grated
- 3 bunches of ramps
- 6 oz. local honey
- 1 pull man brioche, sliced lengthwise
- 1 tsp unsalted butter
- 1 Tb olive oil
- Salt and fresh pepper
- 1 clove garlic
Procedure
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Clean the ramps by cutting off the ends and trimming the leaves and leaving a little green. Make sure too wash them in cold water and dry. Slice the ramps thin, about a quarter inch. Chop the garlic well and sauté in olive oil at a medium heat. Add the ramps and continue cooking for 3 minutes until they are wilted. Pour into a sieve or use a slotted spoon to remove; place on a sheet tray and season with salt and pepper, cool. Place your honey into a mixing bowl and add your ramps. Let this sit for 2 hours to develop the flavor.
On 2 pieces of bread spread the ramp honey on one side and the cheese on the other. Place the ramp honey side on top; and press lightly to adhere the sides. In a large non-stick sauté pan; melt the butter on a medium high heat and wait until the butter stops sizzling; add your grilled cheese and cook until a nice golden brown. With a spatula, turn the bread over and place in the oven. In 5 to 7 minutes the Comte should be melted; take out of the pan and place on a sheet tray and let it set. If you wish, slice off the crusts (don’t forget to eat them), and cut your bread into your desired shape.
Katchkie Farm in Kinderhook, NY is dear to our hearts, not only because that is our local, organic farm; but because it allows us to educate children on food and where it comes from via the Sylvia Center. Katchkie Farm has recently become one of our wedding venues.
GP ARTISTS - UPCOMING EVENTS
Our Great Performances Artists have been busy! Check out some of their creative and artistic endeavors below!
ASHTON HEYL
Egg Party, a short film I co-wrote and acted in, will have its World Premiere at Cinequest Film Festival. The Festival runs March 20th-30th, and tickets are 99 cents to view any time during that period. Tickets are at https://creatics.org/cinejoy, and our website with a trailer to the film is www.eggpartyfilm.com. We were also awarded the Panavision New Filmmaker Award to make the film. The Story: In late spring, six powerhouse women gather together in a Brooklyn apartment for a not-so-sober egg decorating party to support one of their own struggling with fertility. As the afternoon unfolds, the strength of their laughter and friendship creates new birth.
JENNIFER HIEMSTRA
Will be performing in a choral concert with Ember Choral Arts on March 26-27th with musical messages of bridging divides, and later this summer will be joining the U.S. Army as a vocalist in their Regional Band career field!
KEVIN HORNE
DANIEL LERNER
I just released my new single in anticipation of my upcoming EP (due later in 2022). The single is called Harvest the Moon. https://fanlink.to/htm.
JEROME BROOKS JR
Composer & Performer
Playlist
I was a 2021 #CityArtistCorps Grant recipient for my original musical. Since I want to also create opportunities for fellow GP Actors to perform I cast Philip Eng in one of the roles and the 1 night event presentation was SOLD OUT. SOCIAL DISTANCE Musical follows a week amidst the Coronavirus where four multiethnic New York artist friends unite via technology while in quarantine at the start of the pandemic: a black musician, a Chinese gamer, a South East Asian medical student and a BIPOC Social Media Influencer. In the spirit of Lieber and Stoller, Ain’t Misbehavin, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Songs for a New World, SOCIAL DISTANCE is a sung through musical . The presentation took place at the OFF-Broadway PLAYERS THEATRE Oct. 27th, 2021 This is a link to the Broadway World Article: https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Musical-Theatre-Composer-Jerome-Brooks-Jr-Recognized-with-City-Artists-Corp-Grant-20210909 These are the social media links to relive the show with hopes it will progress to a possible bigger opportunity for all involved
ADDITIONAL LINKS
Personal / Professional
- Facebook: JEROMEBROOKSMUSICFANS
- Instagram: jeromebrooksjractor
- Twitter: JeromeBrooksJr
Other
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Azeyol
Musical
- Instagram: SocialDistanceMusical
- Twitter: SocialDistanceA
RETURN TO OFFICE TRENDS: BUILDING MORALE AND HELPING EMPLOYEES FEEL WELCOME
By Great Performances
The second anniversary of New York’s “Stay at Home” order is rapidly approaching and with vaccination rates increasing, Covid numbers declining, and mask mandates lifting, a full return to the office is right around the corner (if it hasn’t already happened).
Working from home was an adjustment and we learned to navigate a different type of home office: sharing our space with kids and partners, juggling our meetings with kids’ online school schedules; hopping from one video call to another (remembering to mute/unmute), and moving less as our commutes became those steps between different rooms or sections of our homes.
Although we’ve all adjusted and adapted, we’ve missed a lot of things that we took for granted while we worked in an office. At GP, although we’ve been busy working and attending events, we haven’t been in the office as regularly and as frequently as we were accustomed to pre-pandemic. We deeply felt this during our holiday party that we celebrated at Wollman Rink, and it was energizing to once more feel the connection, warmth, laughter, and camaraderie that only comes from being physically together.
As we work with our clients who are planning their Return to Office dates and activities, there are several themes that we’re noticing.
- Welcome Back Moments – as employees come back to the office, we’re working with their human resources and facilities teams to create some hospitality moments to help people feel welcome and comfortable. From delicious treats with a note on their desks to welcome back breakfasts, coffee breaks, and happy hours, these small moments help create joy and are an easy way to encourage people to come together.
- Providing Meals – a growing trend for a number of organizations is providing meal options in the office for their employees. We offer a variety of solutions from catered breakfasts, lunches, and snacks to full service in-house dining solutions, our Workplace Dining Program. (Read more about the top trends in workplace dining and what your employees are looking for here)
- Team Building – executive and human resources teams are recognizing that despite the internet-connectedness of the pandemic, team dynamics have changed. We’ve been working closely with some Fortune 500 companies to help plan team building events, from traditional team building events to volunteer days. Check out some of our favorite team building locations!
All of these are designed to lift morale, create buzz and engagement, and add a hospitality flair to what could be a mundane or even dreaded event. And of course, no gathering of people would be complete without food!
Ready to plan your event? Complete the form below and one of our event planners will reach out to you shortly!
CHEF INTERVIEW: AUZERAIS BELLAMY, BLONDERY
By Georgette Farkas
Have you had a culinary mentor, and if so, what is the most meaningful lesson learned from her/him?
All my past employers have mentored me. The most prominent was Pastry Chef Leena Hung at Wente vineyards in Livermore, California. At the time, I thought she was so tough, but I learned it was from a place of caring. I learned that “Yes, Chef” was the right response in the moment. When a hot tray is coming out of the oven, it’s not a time to question the chef. She enabled me to develop structure in my career. It’s carried me from my fine dining career through to my role as an entrepreneur.
Have there been unexpected twists or turns in your culinary life that have changed your career direction?
The biggest shift came when I was at Bouchon in Yountville. There was an earthquake that destroyed my apartment and prompted me to move to NYC. I was offered a lateral move to Bouchon at Rockefeller Center. While it was the same company, it made for a change of pace and scenery. It also made for a new challenge in terms of being a new boss overseeing a new team. I had really wanted to transfer to the kitchen at Per Se. When I hit a ceiling, that provided the impetus to make my move.
It ingrained into my being staying focused on my goal, no matter what. I had a craving to be my own boss, to formulate and execute my own ideas and also allow others to do so. I took the leap, not unlike other black people who have been making lemonade out of lemons for centuries. It’s just what we do naturally. In thinking about my own business, I saw a gap in two areas. Fine dining at home via subscription services lacked quality desserts. And there were not many women of color in leadership positions in the industry. I fused those two to create Blondery.
What is your first or favorite food memory?
It’s what inspired Blondery. A lady in my parent’s church in the Bay area brought us New Orleans style pecan pralines. It was as though I had tasted them before, even though I hadn’t. It tasted like love, butter, and pecans, unlike anything else. It was the inspiration for my pecan and slated caramel blondy.
What is your favorite dish to make at home for family or friends?
I love to make braised short ribs. It’s a time intensive process. They fall off the bone and everyone loves them. My secret is blending dried shitake mushrooms and anchovy into my braising liquid for intense flavor.
When cooking at home, are there things you are willing to buy versus making yourself?
On my Instagram account I feature items I find at Whole Foods. Crispy Chili Crunch and spicy mayonnaise are great examples. Any type of high-quality condiment is worth spending money on.
Share your favorite drink pairing with your favorite Blondery item.
Malbeq with my Brooklyn Black Out Blondy. Demi Sec sparkling wine with my cinnamon sugar blondy.
How do you unwind from the pressures of the baking business?
I’m an avid reader, especially of self help books. Now, I’m reading All About Love by bell hooks.
I love to play with my puppy, Caviar. I’ve also just re-started weight training, which isa great way to prepare for lifting heavy sacks of flour and sugar in the kitchen.
We’ve partnered with Auzerais to provide our guests with some of her incredibly unique blondies and brownies. Read more here.
MARCH FOOD FESTIVAL: WINTER GREENS
Each month, our Great Performances menus feature seasonal ingredients. It’s our way of celebrating the earth and bringing our special touch to every menu.
At the height of winter season, dense winter greens offer a more hearty and warming meal to chase away the cold. Not only full of micronutrients, winter greens are also remarkably versatile. Turnip greens provide a lovely pepperiness and Baby Spinach a nice sweetness, while Swiss Chard and Kale are the always classic household hearty greens. Local, farm-grown winter greens are easily grown in a variety of climates, making them widely available from farm stands and farmers markets during the coldest of winter days.
Winter greens are a true nutrition powerhouse. Winter greens including kale, swiss chard, rapini and collard greens provide vitamins A, C, K, potassium, iron, magnesium, folate, fiber and other nutrients. Due to their high levels of antioxidants, winter greens are anti-inflammatory ingredients.
Add more nutrients to a dish with winter greens. Blend kale into breakfast smoothies. Sauté collard greens or Swiss chard with garlic and olive oil or add them to soups and stews. Make a greens and grains bowl by steaming rapini to pair with a whole grain and lean protein such as quinoa and shrimp.
Robert Schwarz, our Culinary Operations Manager, created a delicious collard greens dish for us.
BRAISED COLLARD GREENS
This is one of my favorite recipes to make at home with my family. When cooked long enough the greens are so tender and will melt in your mouth. The combination of vinegar and molasses helps to make the bitter greens so delicious even the pickiest of eaters may convert. When that doesn’t do it, add more bacon!
Serves 6-8 guests
Ingredients
- 4 bunches collards
- 2 strips bacon, sliced or lardon
- 1 medium red onion, finely julienned
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 TB Apple Cider
- 1 Smoked Ham Hock (optional)
- 2 tsp brown sugar or molasses (optional)
- Tabasco
- Black Pepper
- Salt
Procedure
When choosing your collards, try to choose leaves that are all the same size. This will ensure that they finish cooking together.
Fill a clean sink with water and clean away sand and debris by rubbing the collard leaves together between your palms. Destem the collards and stack neatly. Tightly roll 4-5 leaves at a time and slice to 1/4″ wide. Set aside.
In a dutch oven at medium heat, render the bacon of fat. Save crispy bacon to crumble as a garnish or enjoy as a snack if using ham hock.
Place red onion in pan and lower heat to medium low to caramelize onions. Once onions are nearly caramelized add minced garlic. Deglaze with apple cider vinegar and pour in stock and add sugar or molasses if desired. Bring to a simmer.
Place ham hock in center of pan lay collards around. Cover with lid.
Check collards after about 15 minutes and rotate in sections gently with tongs – depending on size of leaf they can be done as soon as 45 minutes but may take up to an hour and 15 minutes to soften.
Once the ham begins to fall off the bone, remove bones and chop meat. Return meat to pot and fold in to collards. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and tabasco.
Katchkie Farm in Kinderhook, NY is dear to our hearts, not only because that is our local, organic farm; but because it allows us to educate children on food and where it comes from via the Sylvia Center. Katchkie Farm has recently become one of our wedding venues.
EXCITING EVENTS AROUND NEW YORK: MARCH 2022
By Great Performances
Explore Great Music, Art and More at Our Partner Venues This Month!
SOMI AND FRIENDS: THE REIMAGINATION OF MIRIAM MAKEBA
Saturday, March 19th at 8:00pm
Ticket Information: Start at $25
Hailed for her “African grooves, supple jazz singing and compassionate social consciousness … both serious and seductive” by The New York Times, Somi is known for her wide-ranging vocal technique and her original blend of modern jazz with African music styles. The multi-faceted singer, songwriter, playwright, and actor of Rwandan and Ugandan descent has built a career of transatlantic storytelling to give voice to issues of social justice, transnationalism, womanhood, and global constructions of Blackness.
Having received rave reviews from her recent new musical Dreaming Zenzile, the Grammy-nominated international music sensation comes to the Apollo to perform music from this lauded work as well as her companion album Zenzile: The Reimagination of Miriam Makeba. She is joined by a roster of special guests in this festive celebration of the late South African singer-songwriter and civil rights activist Miriam Makeba and her invaluable musical contributions and messages of social justice.
Leadership support for Somi and Friends: The Reimagination of Mariam Makeba is provided by the HBO Fund for Theater. Additional support is provided by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
LIVE NATION PRESENTS
THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS
Friday, March 25th at 8:00pm
Ticket Information: Start at $49.50
Founded in London towards the end of the punk scene, The Psychedelic Furs revolve around brothers Tim and Richard Butler and their art-rock, indie rock sound.
THE MEDIUM
Tuesday, March 15th through Sunday, March 20th
Location: BAM Fisher, Fishman Space
Ticket Information: Start at $35
The Medium draws heavily on the writings of pioneering media theorist Marshall McLuhan, coiner of the phrases “the medium is the message” and “global village” to describe his visions of our interconnected future. A champion talker deprived of speech by a stroke near the end of his life, McLuhan (portrayed with tragicomic precision by Will Bond) staggers and clicks his way through Bogart’s multichannel multiverse—a black-and-white vision of televised anti-revolution that puts our modern technocratic dilemmas front-and-center. Staged with minimalist potency and maximal physicality by Bogart and the astonishing artists of SITI Company, The Medium asks: Who are we—and what are we becoming—in the flickering light of our own devices?
Scenic & lighting design Brian H. Scott adapted from original scenic design by Neil Patel
Costume design by Gabriel Berry
Soundscape by Darron L. West
The Medium originated in 1993 at the Toga Festival in Toga-Mura, Japan. The 2022 production was re-commissioned, produced, and presented for touring by City Theatre Company.
SITI’s Legacy Plan and 30th Anniversary Season was funded, in part, by The Howard Gilman Foundation.
L’ALLEGRO, IL PENSEROSO ED IL MODERATO
Thursday, March 24th through Sunday, March 27th
Location: Peter Jay Sharp Building, BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
Ticket Information: Start at $35
MARK MORRIS DANCE GROUP
MMDG MUSIC ENSEMBLE AND THE CHOIR OF TRINITY WALL STREET WITH DOWNTOWN VOICES
CONDUCTED BY COLIN FOWLER
CHOREOGRAPHY BY MARK MORRIS
Part of A New York Season
On a darkened stage, two dancers collide in a burst of light, music, and color—and from this encounter, an enchanting world is born. Hailed as Mark Morris’s undisputed masterwork since its US premiere here at BAM in 1990, L’Allegro conjures with radiant simplicity a mythic landscape of graces, gods, and lovers. Set to Handel’s soaring interpretation of Milton’s Arcadian poetry, Morris’s choreography draws deep from Greek and Roman motifs while remaining, somehow, timeless. With sopranos Yulia Van Doren and Sarah Brailey, tenor Brian Giebler, and bass-baritone Joseph Charles Beutel.
Returning home to Brooklyn for the first time in more than a decade, L’Allegro promises an ebullient evening of quintessential Mark Morris. Ancient yet youthful, Baroque yet effortlessly natural, it’s an intricate feast for the senses; a meditation on innocence and experience to warm the spirit after so many months of still bodies and darkened stages.
Music by George Frideric Handel
Set design by Adrianne Lobel
Costume design by Christine Van Loon
Lighting design by James F. Ingalls
BROOKLYN READS: IN SENSORIUM WITH TANAÏS
Thursday, March 10th from 7:00-9:00pm
Location: Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Auditorium, 3rd Floor
Ticket Information: $20. Member tickets are $16. Tickets including a copy of In Sensorium: Notes for My People are $40.
Join writer and perfumer Tanaïs for a multisensory exploration of their latest book, In Sensorium: Notes for My People. This expansive memoir offers a critical alternate history of South Asia, written from an American Bangladeshi Muslim femme perspective, and interrogates the ancient violence and ancestral trauma of a lush land continually threatened by colonization, capitalism, and climate change. Structured like a perfume—moving from base to heart to head notes—In Sensorium brings memoir together with eons of South Asian perfume history, erotic and religious texts, and survivor testimonies. The program, similarly, takes the shape of fragrance. In between readings from the book, participants will experience a selection of scent interludes prepared by Tanaïs specially for this occasion, as well as a conversation with Samhita Mukhopadhyay, former Executive Editor, Teen Vogue. Plus, enjoy an after-hours viewing of Baseera Khan: I Am an Archive.
AN AFTERNOON ON COLLECTIVE CARE
Sunday, March 13th from 1:00-5:00pm
Location: Great Hall, 1st Floor, and Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Auditorium, 3rd Floor
Ticket Information: This event is free, but registration is required. Copies of Care Manual: Dreaming Care into Being will be available for purchase on-site.
Honor the impact of two years of the COVID-19 pandemic with an afternoon centered on care, resilience, and healing. In our galleries, exhibition curator Eugenie Tsai leads a tour of The Slipstream: Reflection, Resistance, and Resilience in the Art of Our Time with a focus on themes of illness and support structures. Then, author Kamra Hakim—founder of Black trans–led artist residency Activation Residency—launches their new book Care Manual: Dreaming Care into Being with a reading and conversation followed by a book signing. Hakim is joined by Annika Hansteen-Izora, artist and author of Tenderness: An Honoring of My Queer Black Joy and Rage, and herbalist Marisa Hall to discuss healing within BIPOC communities and the pivotal role that care plays within their respective practices. And finally, instrumentalist Rachika Nayar performs tracks from her debut full-length album, Our Hands Against the Dusk, accompanied by cellist Issei Herr. Using electric guitar, Nayar explores the experience of touch, from caressing to collisions between worlds.
Schedule:
- 1–1:45 pm Curator Tour: The Slipstream: Reflection, Resistance, and Resilience in the Art of Our Time, Great Hall, 1st Floor
- 2–3:30 pm Book Talk: Dreaming Care into Being, Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Auditorium, 3rd Floor
- 4–5 pm Music: Rachika Nayar and Issei Herr, Great Hall, 1st Floor
MICHELLE CANN, Piano
Sunday, March 20th at 3:00pm
Ticket Information: Start at $30
Overview
Pianist Michelle Cann — a “compelling, sparkling virtuoso” (Boston Music Intelligencer) — returns to Caramoor with a powerful recital of works by Margaret Bonds, Florence Price, Clara Schumann, Johannes Brahms, and Frédéric Chopin. Cann’s curated suite of piano masterworks breaks the classical music mold to fuse feminine perspectives and idioms of Black vernacular with European traditions.
Bound by location and circumstance and impeded by prejudice, Black composers Florence Price and Margaret Bonds began as child prodigies and, despite each receiving major acclaim during their lifetime, both were largely forgotten in the years following.
Price’s Sonata in E Minor interjects notes of dance, folk spirituals, jazz, and blues into classical passages. And among Chopin-esque cascades, her masterwork Fantasie Negre No. 1 borrows its melody from African American folk songs.
Similarly, Bonds’s Troubled Water takes its theme from Wade in the Water, adding a traditional European structure to the spiritual.
Clara Schumann, whose distinct composing voice was overshadowed by that of her husband Robert, is represented by Quatre Pièces Fugitives, Op. 15 — a collection of romantic and introspective works that takes its name from its unrestrained nature, which break formal conventions of the time.
Ballades by Chopin and Brahms round out the program and add a purist view to the conversation.
Program
Frédéric Chopin: Ballade No. 3 in A-flat Major, Op. 47
Florence Price: Sonata in E Minor
Johannes Brahms: Ballade in D Major, Op. 10, No. 2
Clara Schumann: Quatre Pièces Fugitives, Op. 15
Florence Price: Fantasie Negre No. 1
Margaret Bonds: Troubled Water
ALPHONSO HORNE’S GOTHAM KINGS
MARDI GRAS CELEBRATION
Tuesday, March 1st at 7:30pm and 9:30pm
Location: Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center and Online
Ticket Information: Start at $35
ABOUT THE SHOW
The Gotham Kings bring their annual Fat Tuesday celebration back to Dizzy’s. Led by trumpeter Alphonso Horne, this fun-loving group of musicians and dancers will treat audiences to the infectious traditions of Creole jazz. The concert showcases the virtuosity of a young Louis Armstrong and the innovative genius of King Oliver, weaving the sounds of New Orleans into a rich musical fabric that uplifts and warms the soul. With special Mardi Gras drinks on the menu, the club will be in good spirits for the occasion.
PERFORMANCE LINEUP
Alphonso Horne, trumpet
DIVA SWINGS BROADWAY
Ticket Information: Start at $35, Virtual $10
ABOUT THE SHOW
Tonight marks the release party for DIVA Jazz Orchestra’s new album, DIVA Swings Broadway. Broadway musicals have been the source of many great jazz standards, which the DIVA Jazz Orchestra loves to reimagine. The ensemble has commissioned innovative and exciting arrangements to highlight the power, force, and sophisticated subtlety of the group’s sound and to feature the unique personalities of its fifteen exceptional soloists. This music is timeless, even when reimagined and swinging hard!
PERFORMANCE LINEUP
Sherrie Maricle, drums and music director
Alexa Tarantino, alto saxophone
Mercedes Beckman, alto saxophone
Roxy Coss, tenor saxophone
Laura Dreyer, tenor saxophone
Leigh Pilzer, baritone saxophone
Liesl Whitaker, trumpet
Jami Dauber, trumpet
Rachel Therrien, trumpet
Barbara Laronga, trumpet
Jennifer Krupa, trombone
Sara Jacovino, trombone
Leslie Havens, bass trombone
Tomoko Ohno, piano
Noriko Ueda, bass
JOURNEY THROUGH JAZZ: FUNDAMENTALS
FEATURING THE JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA WITH WYNTON MARSALIS
LYNNE AND RICHED PASCULANO JAZZ SERIES
Friday, March 18th and Saturday, March 19th
Location: The Appel Room
Ticket Information: Start at $35
WHAT TO EXPECT
An interactive and educational journey of the evolution of jazz and the blues, hosted by music director Wynton Marsalis.
Explore America’s music and the blues in this inaugural concert series featuring the JLCO in the Appel Room.
Gain a deeper understanding of jazz and music legends Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck, Leonard Bernstein, Wayne Shorter, and Jelly Roll Morton in this interactive evening for all ages.
ABOUT THE CONCERT
Delve into Wynton Marsalis’s new concert series Journey Through Jazz, which takes audiences on an odyssey through America’s music. Illustrating his gift for combining prose and music with wisdom and humor, Marsalis leads the crowd through a narrative that explains the evolution of jazz and the blues. These are the inaugural concerts in a family-friendly series, funded by Lynne and Richard Pasculano, to help audiences appreciate different aspects of this American art form. The performances are also a rare opportunity to experience the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra in the intimate and iconic Appel Room.
In this interactive evening, explore American folk music and the blues as well as their relationship to jazz. Join us for a journey of captivating musical moments. Jazz novices, enthusiasts, musicians, and music lovers of all ages are welcome.
WHAT IS THE BLUES? WITH CATHERINE RUSSELL
FAMILY CONCERT
Saturday, March 26th at 1:00pm and 3:00pm
Location: Rose Theater
Ticket Information: Start at $10
WHAT TO EXPECT
An energetic, interactive introduction to the blues for children and families.
A live band led by charismatic blues singer Catherine Russell.
An hour-long exploration of the blues for all ages with Grammy Award-winning vocalist Catherine Russell.
ABOUT THE CONCERT
In this hour-long interactive concert, families will learn all about the fundamental musical concept known as “the blues.” With support from a soulful live band, this afternoon performance will be hosted by the charismatic Catherine Russell, named “the best blues singer today” by the Wall Street Journal.
The blues is one of the most foundational and widespread traditions in music—and it can mean a lot of different things! Audiences will enjoy live performances of songs from across the genre’s history, and the band will demonstrate how the music is structured, illustrate “blue notes” with their improvised solos, and lead the crowd in some lively call-and-response as Russell sings about what it means to have the blues.
Though the blues is its own genre of music, it’s also a core component of jazz and one of the roots of popular American music as a whole. Make sure you’re in Rose Theater to sing along when Catherine Russell and the band answer that classic question for budding music lovers: “What is the blues?”
This program is presented through the generosity of Mica and Ahmet Ertegun.
CONFEDERATES
Tuesday, March 8th through Sunday, April 24th
Ticket Information: Start at $35
Sara, an enslaved rebel turned Union spy, and Sandra, a tenured professor in a modern-day private university, are having parallel experiences of institutional racism, though they live over a century apart. This New York premiere by MacArthur Genius Fellow Dominique Morisseau, directed by Stori Ayers, leaps through time to trace the identities of these two Black American women and explore the reins that racial and gender bias still hold on American educational systems today.
EXHIBIT: THE NATURE OF FAMILY PORTRAITS
Tuesday, March 15th through Monday, July 11th
Location: Wave Hill House
Ticket Information: FREE with admission to the grounds
Displayed inside the former domestic setting of Wave Hill House, The Nature of Family Portraits looks to artists who expand on traditions of the family portrait. While each artist’s approach is distinct and personal, the exhibited works all reference and rely upon depictions of nature, flora and landscapes to complement or complicate our understanding of how family relationships and lineage can be represented.
In some cases, fruits and vegetables recall intimate moments shared during meals or link back to culinary traditions passed down through family. By rendering landscapes, both distant and nearby, artists reflect on how stories of migration or displacement influence their understanding of the family unit, particularly when access to the land that holds ancestral or cultural history is limited but not forgotten.
To further expand the notions of kinship, artists use surrealistic depictions of nature and people to reflect both personal and collective imaginings. In examining how themes of home, social histories, displacement and imagination are depicted within contemporary examples of family portraits, the exhibition reflects a myriad of relationships that constitute the family today, including the nuclear family, diasporic and ancestral lineages and chosen families within self-made communities.
The Nature of Family Portraits is organized by Assistant Curator Jesse Bandler Firestone and features works by Destiny Belgrave, Sean-Kierre Lyons, Devin Osorio, Maia Cruz Palileo.
SPRING WALK SERIES: EARLY SPRING FLOWERS
Thursday, March 17th from 1:00-2:00pm and Saturday, March 19th from 1:00-2:00pm
Location: Meet at Perkins Visitor Center
Ticket Information: $15, including admission to the grounds. Wave Hill Members save 10%.
Early blooming flowers, like snowdrops, witch hazel and winter aconite, beckon at spring arrives. Even though it is still quiet at Wave Hill, Senior Horticultural Interpreter Jess Brey knows exactly where to look. There is plenty to see and enjoy—just look down! Severe weather cancels. Welcome Spring Weekend event.
DJ NIGHTS: MOTOWN & OLDIES
Saturday, March 5th from 6:00pm-9:00pm
Ticket Information: $38, plus tax includes: admission, skates, live music performed on the rink side stage, weather permitting (and piped through the sound system inside the Clubhouse), and one complimentary signature drink in Wollman’s rink side Hot Toddy Tent. Food and additional assorted beverages will be available for purchase in The Café.
Join us for a live music and skating experience when New York’s own DJ Rob Dinero and guest vocalists fill Wollman Rink with the music of Motown greats and Oldies remixes. Ice skating in Central Park will be in full groove mode!
Grab some skates, a signature drink from the rink side Hot Toddy Tent and enjoy a New York night out!
Your Host: DJ Rob Dinero
New York’s own DJ Rob Dinero was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. He started his DJing career at the age of 14 and landed his first gigs at school events and local house parties in the Bronx area. Rob has evolved, mastered, and created many rare techniques that define him in the entertainment world. He has provided music for clients such as Tommy Hilfiger, Heineken, the VMAs, the Soweto Jazz Festival in South Africa, MTV tr3s Latina Nation Tour, Hot 97 and DJ’d for many of the top nightclubs in NYC & around the US. DJ Rob Dinero can be heard live on JAMZ 96.3 (WAJZ-FM) in Upstate New York’s “Capital City Region” (Albany/Schenectady/Troy/Saratoga Springs) and on the nationally distributed cable network “Music Choice”.
Additional DJ dates: Saturday, March 19, 6-9pm
GOSPEL BRUNCH
Sunday, March 6th and Sunday, March 13th from 11:00am-1:00pm
Ticket Information: $38, plus tax includes: admission, skates, live music performed on the rink side stage, weather permitting (and piped through the sound system inside the Clubhouse), and one complimentary signature drink in Wollman’s rink side Hot Toddy Tent. A la carte brunch fare by Melba’s Restaurant will be available in The Café.
Rise and shine for a special morning of gospel music and delicious brunch fare at the iconic Wollman Rink in Central Park. Grab some skates, a signature drink from the rink side Hot Toddy Tent and let the uplifting live music ministry of Vincent Bohanan and The Sound of Victory Fellowship Choir fill your spirit with joy.
Part of a 3-date Sunday series. Final date after this will be: 3/13 from 11:00 AM – 1:00PM.
LGBTQ+ MINGLE NIGHT: DJ MARY MAC
Saturday, March 12 from 6:00pm-9:00pm
Ticket Information: $38, plus tax includes: admission, skates, live music performed on the rink side stage, weather permitting (and piped through the sound system inside the Clubhouse), and one complimentary signature drink in Wollman’s rink side Hot Toddy Tent. Food and additional assorted beverages will be available for purchase in The Café.
Everyone is invited to a premier skating experience set to the sounds of Madonna’s resident DJ – DJ Mary Mac live in Central Park. If you have someone, bring someone. If you’re single, come and mingle. Ice skating NYC is where you will want to be!
Grab some skates, a signature drink from the rink side Hot Toddy Tent and join us for this exclusive, energized New York evening out!
YOUR HOST: DJ MARY MAC
With a 15+ year legacy of moving large arena crowds for Grammy award-winning Recording Artists such as Pit Bull, Gwen Stefani, Sting, Kanye West, RUN DMC, Snoop Dog, Foo Fighters and most recently Da Baby. She is most at home as Madonna’s resident DJ on world tours. Large corporate events and festivals: RED BULL/COCA COLA/ SALES FORCE/MACYS as well as NYC MAYORS OFFICE / CITY HALL to name a few. DJ Mary Mac represents the party spirit of NYC at home and abroad. If you blink you may miss her…Catch DJ Mary Mac LIVE in NYC.
CHEF INTERVIEW: JJ JOHNSON, FIELDTRIP
By Georgette Farkas
Founded in 2019 by Chef JJ Johnson, FIELDTRIP is a community-based dining experience that celebrates culture through the shared experience of rice. For us, rice is a journey to new parts of the globe. Our mantra, “Rice is Culture”, was born out of Chef JJ’s realization that rice connects us and can be found at the center of tables in almost every community.
About JJ Johnson
JJ Johnson is a James Beard Award-winning chef and author best known for his barrier-breaking cuisine featured at his restaurant FIELDTRIP with locations in New York City. FIELDTRIP showcases sustainable ingredients with creative, heirloom rice dishes as the focal point of the menu and was featured as one of Esquire Magazine’s “Best New Restaurants” of 2020. JJ is also a television host on Just Eats with Chef JJ airing on TV One’s network Cleo TV for a fourth season.
Have you had a culinary mentor, and if so, what is the most meaningful lesson learned from her/him?
I’ve had a lot of different mentors over the course of my career. Right now, the two that come to mind are Ed Brown, CEO of Restaurant Associates, and Brian Ellis, Executive Chef and VP of Culinary at The Smith. Brian taught me that people come for the food. It’s my job to make sure it’s delicious every time. Ed taught me things don’t happen overnight. I have to trust the journey I’m on.
Have there been unexpected twists or turns in your culinary life that have changed your career direction?
Sure, but I don’t look at them like that. It’s all part of the process. I didn’t dream of opening a fast casual concept, but as you grow and develop in the industry you start to recognize your niche and you find the need. That’s what happened to me. Looking back, I can trace everything and see how it was leading me here.
What is your first or favorite food memory?
One of my first food memories is eating arroz con gandules with my Grandmom. My first vivid cooking memory is making lasagna for my aunt’s birthday. I burned it.
What is your favorite dish to make at home for family or friends?
My kids love steak. I like to make them bone-in ribeye in the cast iron. I extract all that flavor and I give the bone to my dog afterwards. I like to serve the steak with tomato seasoned rice, mashed potatoes and a salad with feta and red onions. When I’m cooking at home it’s all about seasonality and locality. This year I made fish for Thanksgiving because we were in Rhode Island. No matter what, we always have rice on the table.
Is there an ingredient that is your unsung hero in the kitchen?
Lemon zest. It brightens any dish. I put it on everything: sweet and savory.
When cooking at home, are there things you are willing to buy versus making yourself?
I’m always going to buy ketchup. Heinz!
Share your favorite drink pairing with your favorite FIELDTRIP menu item.
I pair Maison Marcel rosé with our salmon bowl. I love to have pineapple soda with the shrimp bowl and Enroot strawberry hibiscus tea goes great with the braised beef bowl. We also have a selection of sake available at FIELDTRIP Harlem.
How do you unwind from the pressures of the business?
I like to check in with myself and indulge in a little wellness. I work out. I get acupuncture. Anything to maintain a healthy mind and body.