Living in Prospect Heights, on the edge of Crown Heights, I see on every corner the forces of "urban" culture and gentrification duking it out. There's tony cafes with $50 prix fixe meals next to storefront churches, next to cafes serving $3 cups of coffee, besides auto repair shops with scary junkyard dogs. But how…
“Cage” and “Luke Cage Noir” Graphic Novels: Alternate Visions of the Blackest Superhero
I just finished Luke Cage Noir (2010), part of the Marvel Comics "Noir" series, re-visioning various superheroes as trenchcoat-clad detectives, gangsters, and devious molls from the 1930s. Luke Cage is nearly a perfect choice, since he is a street-smart, hard-edged detective, who also happens to have bullet-proof skin. I found myself comparing the graphic novel…
Yehoodi Celebrates 12 Years Supporting Lindy Hop with Swing Party, Dance Contest October 21
It’s hard to believe that 12 years ago in a garage in Queens, a scrappy Manu Smith and a scruffy Frank Dellario thought, "There has to be a better way to disseminate Larry’s List!" And thus, Yehoodi.com was born. In the twelve years that followed there have been all kinds of changes in the Lindy…
Diana Jensen’s Found Photo Paintings at the DUMBO Art Festival
This Saturday I stopped by the DUMBO Arts Festival, to see the recent work of my friend Diana Jensen. Her newest work is entitled “Blue Screen Series” and here's how she describes it: These paintings reference photos I found on the wall of a Miami pizzeria—shots of the workers after hours. The vivid ultramarine blue…
“Swift Solos” Show Celebrates the Work of Legendary B-boy Ken Swift
oLive Dance Theatre's SWIFT SOLOS from Hip-Hop Theater Festival on Vimeo. This year's Hip Hop Theater Festival features a show I'm very excited to see: "Swift Solos." "Swift Solos" is a series of vignettes based on the dance legacy of legendary b-boy Ken Swift. From his early years as an up-and-coming dancer, to joining Rock…
Ill Clan “morphs” into Two New Virtual World & Animation Shops
My friends at the award-winning machinima crew Ill Clan Studios tell me that they have "morphed" the company into two different concerns: Pixel Valley Studio will focus on real-time machinima animation and traditional 3D digital animation Kerria Seabrooke and Paul Jannicola will specialize in virtual world builds, experiential design and artistic machinima Not much more…
Awesome “Back to School” Sign in Brooklyn
I love this "Back to School" painted sign on my local grocery store in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. Cool things about this sign: "School" is in quotes Girl in full muslim garb on right Sorta scary white kid in the middle Asian kid in the back who almost has no face Blonde girl with one orange…
Switchcraft Project #1: Vest with LED Epaulets
I finished my first real switchcraft project tonight: a vest with LED light epaulets. It seemed deceptively simple and easy, but actually took a lot longer than I thought to complete (about 2.5 hours). Components: 2 battery holders with batteries 2 slide switches 8 white LED lights Conductive thread Sewing needle Vest Glue (optional, but…
“I Charleston New York”: Frenchies bring Charleston Mania to Manhattan
As I mentioned about a month ago, I participated in the "I Charleston New York" flash mob in Times Square along with a bunch of other local lindy hoppers. Organized by those wacky dancers from Montpellier, the Swingjammerz, "I Charleston…" is a video project where they go from city to city around the world, spreading…
Co-hosting a Podcast from NYC and Cali over Skype
This was not the most fantastic day I've ever had. But it ended on a high note with a recording of another Yehoodi Talk Show podcast with my buddy Manu in California. Manu and I have been doing the Yehoodi Talk Show for more years than I care to count right now. He's a great…