Tribeca Film Festival - Jordans, Viola Davis
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
Social media stars were in attendance at the world premiere of The American Meme, a documentary that follows the journey of four social media disruptors including Paris Hilton, Josh Ostrovsky (@TheFatJew), Brittany Furlan, and Kirill Bichutsky (@slutwhisperer). Other stars who came out to support the cast included Hailey Baldwin, Nicky Hilton and husband James Rothschild, Brittany’s fiance Tommy Lee and more.
On the red carpet, The Fat Jew was showing off the tattoo he got of Paris Hilton’s signature on his arm. Also, Paris Hilton brought her own light to brighten up her interviews on the red carpet.
Real-life husband and wife Julius Tennon and Viola Davis were on hand at the premiere of their new ABC docu series The Last Defense, in which they serve as executive producers. The emotional series exposes flaws in the American justice system through in-depth examinations of death row cases.
During a panel following the screening, Davis referred to James Baldwin’s quote about loving America and reserving the right to criticize it before giving her greatest criticism of the country, one about the criminal justice system. She talked about how our country gives us the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but it does not do a good enough job defending that right through the criminal justice system. She went on to talk about the advice she gives her daughter: “I tell my daughter everyday life isn’t fair,” but shared her thoughts that, “in the criminal justice system, it has to be fair.”
Fat Joe, Kid Ink, and Gizzle hyped up the crowd at the end of the night with a musical performance following the world premiere of Dexton Deboree’s new documentary Unbanned: The Legend of AJ1 about the creation of the Air Jordan and how it launched the sneaker craze and intersected with music, sports, celebrity, and sociopolitical issues. It features interviews with Spike Lee, Jason Sudeikis, and Michael Jordan. All talent walking the carpet showed up wearing their favorite pair of AJ1s including Deboree who showed up in a pair of red and blacks to match the red carpet.
Photos Courtesy of SunshineSachs
Nello Petrucci: The Pompeii Collection
In Ancient Greek, “Καιρός,”(kairos) is defined as a critical moment in time. It therefore is the perfect name for the newest artistic project created by Italian artist, Nello Petrucci. Presented at the ArtExpo in New York City this past weekend, the “Pompeii” Collection pays homage to Petrucci’s origins and current residence: Pompeii, Italy. The collection also included elements of the ancient artwork that was originally located inside the ruins of the early Pompeii homes.
“Nello and I are from Pompeii,” said Giovanni Boccia, the CEO of Contemply Art Gallery, who also represents Nello Petrucci’s work. “Millions and millions of people come from around the world to visit Pompeii and see the ruins of the city which were caused by the volcano.” Pompeii, a city which was once considered one of the most technologically and culturally advanced cities in the world, was vaporized by Mount Vesuvius, a volcano near the Bay of Naples in 79 A.D. . The catastrophe resulted in the deaths of thousands , as well as loss and damage of artifacts. However, the millions of tons of volcanic ash acted as a marvelous preservative; underneath all that dust were artworks that were once displayed in the Roman city homes. The city of Pompeii and its rich history allow millions of current residents and visitors to witness the marvelous art first-hand. However, as the official records were erased, the names of the artist artists remain unknown.
The mystery of who is the mastermind behind the most fascinating pieces created in humanity’s time served as the point of origin for Petrucci’s project. “In Greece, for example, you know about this culture and you know who made it; we know the names of the artists. But in the ancient times, such as during Pompeii, there is no artist. We do not know who the artist was. There were no names behind these paintings,” said Petrucci. “I wanted to know who the artist was and that was the start of my project. I had a very big task of taking the work from the past and incorporating it into my work with my technique, with my style, and with my identity.” Therefore, the Pompeii project was born.
During his research, Petrucci noticed one gripping detail: the faces, bodies, and lifestyle depicted in the works of Pompeii’s artists have not changed from 2,000 years ago. “If you study [the paintings], you will see that they're completely modern,” said Petrucci. “We brought everything from the ancient times. Nothing has really changed. The technology changed, but nothing else has. The concepts remain the same. Pompeii gives you expression and style of life. In the modern world, you can send a text, but back then it was graffiti. I want to know about the past. Because life is the same. It's just a different time. But life has remained the same as 2,000 years ago.”
With the idea of ancient, yet, contemporary, as well with the aim to preserve the historical elements and add the “Petrucci touch,” it took Nello Petrucci two years to complete the Pompeii collection. The main challenge faced by Petrucci was how to bring the unknown attributes of Pompeii and its artists onto the world stage, while incorporating his own philosophy into the work. “Nello wanted to do something for these artists. He wanted to attribute them by bringing the artworks from the inside of Pompeii to the rest of the world,” said Boccia. “It is strange because the connection is very beautiful, these paintings come back, but they come back with the name of Nello Petrucci. All people in the world can now share how amazing and how beautiful these artworks are. But now they have a name on them: Nello Petrucci.”
The Pompeii Collection is indeed a rare piece of art magic. Prior to fully devoting his time to art, Petrucci also attended a film school, and worked as a set designer, actor, and cameraman. The artist starred in the film, The Fallen, while also working with Martin Scorsese on the New York classic-The Gangs of New York. The mixture of creative directions resulted in Petrucci using movie posters as a base for all of his paintings. He purchases original movie posters, tears them down, and begins to work with layers by adding two additional posters or images, followed by marvelous strokes of paint. To finalize his artwork, Petrucci adds photos of the Pompeii paintings on the surface, fusing them with the rest of the piece.
Petrucci’s work is truly remarkable and unique. “I met Nello and I thought to myself, ‘I need to take you into my team. I am crazy about your artwork.’ He's a true artist,” said Boccia. “Sometimes you see some artists who do something because they think, ‘Well I just want to make a painting that will sell my work. I know that if I make something really important then I will become famous.’ Nello is totally crazy for the art itself. Just look at his work.”
Indeed, Petrucci’s art captivates. It certainly speaks to the name of “Καιρός,” because Petrucci takes the past and the present and blends it to create the right moment in time. The subjects in his paintings are all drastically different and yet somehow, Petrucci draws a comparison between the women of Pompeii and the actresses on the poster layered underneath. It reaches an extent when any individual looking at Petrucci’s work begins to question if they might look like the subjects depicted. “Change the photography, change the makeup, change the outfit,” said Petrucci. “You will realize: it is all the same.”
If you are interested in purchasing artworks from Nello Petrucci’s collections, including the “Pompeii” Collection, visit http://www.nellopetrucci.com/home_en.php and https://www.contemply.com for more information.
Tribeca Film Festival - McQueen, Jamie Foxx
Fashion elite came out for the premiere of McQueen, where Janet McQueen attended the screening which celebrates her late brother. Other attendees included Chloe Wise and Vanity Fair’s Amy Fine Collins. Later in the evening, Chloe Grace Moretz and Sasha Lane goofed off on the carpet of their film The Miseducation of Cameron Post which centers around a teenage girl who is forced into a gay conversion therapy center by her conservative guardians.
The Crown’s Matt Smith joined sibling co-producers Eliza Dushku and Nathaniel Dushku at the world premiere of Mapplethorpe. Marianne Rendon also took on the red carpet and was supported by her Imposters co-star Inbar Lavi.
Sarah Jessica Parker supported husband Matthew Broderick, who was on the carpet for his film To Dust. The couple was joined by another husband and wife duo and producers of the film, Alessandro Nivola and Emily Mortimer who paused for a moment for a family photo on the carpet with their two boys. Additionally, producer Ron Perlman joined the cast on the carpet.
Cast member Mary Elizabeth Winstead brought Ewan McGregor as her date to the premiere of All About Nina. He snapped pictures of her as she completed interviews on the carpet. Other cast members in attendance included Common, Pam Murphy, and Grace Shen.
Noam Galai/Getty Images
The Tribeca Film Festival also expanded to a new space with a panel about ESPN’s 30 for 30 Podcasts and their first serialized season which debuts this spring and focuses on the founder of Bikram Yoga, Bikram Choudhury. Bikram’s producer Julia Lowrie Henderson and host/editor Jody Avirgan lead a conversation about the intricacy of creating a podcast and touched upon the controversy surrounding Choudhury who currently has warrants out for his arrest as well as where the yoga community stands today.
Andrew Toth/Getty Images
Jamie Foxx invited select audience members on stage to dance with him as they posed questions during his Tribeca Talks: Storytellers panel. Throughout the session, Foxx kept the crowd on their toes as he peppered in spontaneous moments by bursting out into songs or doing impressions of other stars such as Puff Daddy, Wesley Snipes, Jim Carrey, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Pharrell, Denzel Washington, Oprah Winfrey, Quincy Jones, and Sidney Poitier.
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images
A pregnant Rachel Weisz hit the carpet of her premiere for Disobedience and looked radiant in Chloe. She was joined by fellow cast mates Rachel McAdams, making her first appearance since becoming a new mom herself, and Alessandro Nivola, who brought his wife Emily Mortimer as his date. During the introduction director Sebastián Lelio, fresh off his oscar win for best foreign language film for A Fantastic Woman, noted that this was his first english language film before calling on stage his Holy trinity of McAdams, Weisz, and Nivola - for his Jewish Orthodox lesbian love story!
Photo Credit: Getty Images for Tribeca / Theo Wargo
Alec Baldwin and Spike Lee participated in a Tribeca Talks panel together. Baldwin’s wife, Hilaria Baldwin, was in attendance to support. An audience member asked Lee for his thoughts on the box-office hit Black Panther; he went on to share that he saw it four times and it “changed everything.” The audience then broke out in applause and cheers when Baldwin prompted “well, wait a minute, we’re in a world now that focuses on inclusion, don’t you want to ask me what I thought of Black Panther?”
Gettys Image
Kevin Bacon stopped by the New York City premiere of Studio 54 to support his sister, Karin Bacon who is part of the cast for the documentary about the rise and catastrophic fall of the legendary Manhattan night spot.
Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
Tribeca also connected the past with the present at the premiere of Cobra Kai, an all-new series that reunites the adversaries from the iconic film franchise The Karate Kid. Fans were ecstatic to see Ralph Macchio and William Zabka together again. During the talk after the screening, Macchio shared he has been hesitant of any reboots or reunions and has been protective of the material for so long to not “taint the legacy” but knows you “got to trust the storyteller and the filmmakers.”
Tribeca Film Festival co-founder Jane Rosenthal posed for photos with the filmmakers and cast of Nigerian Prince at their premiere screening. The film is the first winner of AT&T’s Untold Stories program, an initiative to support filmmakers that are underrepresented in the industry. The director, Faraday Okoro, received a $1 million grant last year from AT&T to produce his film.
Photos courtesy of SunshineSachs
Glimmerglass Gala
On April 8th, 2018, the Glimmerglass Festival hosted its annual gala at the Metropolitan Club on East 60th Street to honor Leonard Bernstein’s and Jerome Robbin’s centenaries, the Festival’s 2018 production of West Side Story, and the 30th anniversary of the Glimmerglass Young Artists Program.
Members of the Glimmerglass Young Artists Program performing the mambo scene from this season’s musical West Side Story.
The Glimmerglass Festival is an seasonal event that blends high class opera with laid back summer style. Each summer, the company produces more than forty operas, ranging from new to well known, in the quaint community of Cooperstown, New York. But the festival is not just a celebration of opera -- despite being the second largest producer of opera in New York State (after the Metropolitan Opera), the festival also hosts concerts by celebrity guests, literary lectures and events, and, most importantly, serves as a training ground for young artists hoping to enter the world of theatre production.
Guests mingling in the Great Hall at the Metropolitan Club, New York
Many of these young artists were in attendance at the Gala, which started off with a cocktail hour at six o'clock sharp. Guests, patrons and artists mingled for the entirety of the hour before the performance began at seven -- and what a performance it was, featuring the work of some of Glimmerglass own artists, a serencade from famed opera singer Eric Owens, and the dancers from West Side Story.
Robert Nelson, Margarita Sears, Van Ramsey, Moira North
Following the performance was a delicious dinner and then dessert, which was accompanied with a set from the Peter Duchin Orchestra. Guests swayed and danced to the music, ending the night on a particularly classy note.
Kelley Rourke, Kevin Puts
So if you’re looking for a cultured way to spend the summer, be sure check out the Glimmerglass Festival
Courtesy of Ruby Tull for the photos!
Chat N' Chew Private Preview
If you are looking for a cozy setting for your next date night, Chat N’ Chew is a must try. Located in the heart of Union Square, the restaurant is a 20-year comfort food staple. Following a popular trend, the restaurant has now upgraded their menu to match the current flow of healthy eating habits. Curated by the restaurateur Andrew Silverman, is reopening to the public, once again, to show that hearty meals do not have to be a part of guilty pleasures.
The new menu offers a variety of familiar hearty meals, but is also introducing healthy options for those on a health kick. Along with juicy hamburgers and not your mother’s mac’n’cheese, vegan and vegetarian options are now available to the public. Appetizers, like Matzo Ball Soup, “Platter of the Gods” Hummus & Tzatziki and “Duke’s Buffalo Shrimp” were just previews before the big game of finger-licking entrees. For a more traditional comfort food experience, try menu items, such as a “not-so-classic grilled three cheese,” as well as the “Thanksgiving on a Roll.” Those are just some options “between the bread” that show that Chat N’ Chew raised the stakes in the comfort food dining game. While other variations of entrees, such as “110% Veggie Chili” and “Butternut Squash Ravioli & Crumbled Sage” are the healthier twists on otherwise “self-indulgent” meals. To round-up a feast of deliciousness, Chat N’ Chew’s dessert menu is something to pay attention to. With “Creme Brûlée Cheese Cake” and “Carrot Cake in a Chat N’ Chew Mug,” accompanied by a list of egg creams, flots, and milkshakes, Chat N’ Chew definitely satisfies the sweet tooth.
Inspired to visit Chat N’ Chew for your next Sunday brunch? Check out the restaurant’s address below:
10 E 16th St, New York, NY 10003
Tribeca Film Festival After Parties
A true pioneer of celebration - The "Supper Suite" by A-List Communications has been rocking Tribeca with several events and panels thus far for its tenth year in a row during the annual film festival. A-List Communications launched Supper Suite program in New York City almost a decade ago and has become a integral part of every red carpet celebratory destination every year.
On Friday, April 20th, Megu on West 16th street played home to the BACK ROADS pre-screening cocktail party with cast members Alex Pettyfer, Jennifer Morrison, Nicola Peltz, June Carryl followed by the 7 Stages To Achieve Eternal Bliss by Passing Through The Gateway Chosen By The Holy Storsh Post Tribeca screening party, with producer Elijah Wood and actors Sam Huntington, Kate Micucci, Dan Harmon, Josh Brenner, Matt Jones, Mark McKinney and Taika Waititi.
Guests enjoyed Day Owl Rose, Blue Moon Brewing, Ciroc and Deleon plus Altec Lansing's latest audio items, during the “Supper Suite” pop-up events during the Tribeca Film Festival, produced by A-List Communications.
On Saturday, April 21st, The "Supper Suite" also popped up at STK NYC on Little West 12th street, and hosted a press junket for EGG with Christina Hendricks, Alysia Reiner, Gbenga Akinnagbe, David Alan Basche, IN A RELATIONSHIP starring Michael Angarano, Dree Hemingway and Patrick Gibson, LITTLE WOODS starring Tessa Thompson, Lily James and Luke Kirby, STATE LIKE SLEEP starring Katherine Waterson, Michael Shannon and Michiel Huisman, and JONATHAN starring Ansel Elgort and Suki Waterhouse.
On Monday, April 23rd, The "Supper Suite" went back to Megu and hosted "Untogether” Premiere After Party which featured a outstanding cast of: Jemima Kirke (Girls), Jamie Dornan (Fifty Shades of Grey), Ben Mendelsohn (Rogue One: A Star Wars Strory), Lola Kirke (Gone Girl), Scott Caan (Oceans Eleven), Billy Crystal (When Harry Met Sally), Jennifer Grey (Ferris Buellers Day Off), Alice Eve (She's Out of My League).
Guests did not leave empty handed. Each patron were given Altec Lansing's latest portable audio items, and stayed hydrated with Essential Water during the daytime junket.
Photo Credits: Thomas Concordia
Tribeca Film Festival - Fabled
Refinery29 debuted its all new anthology television series, Fabled, on April 23rd at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival as part of TriBeCa TV: Indie Pilots block. The series, which takes classic fairy tale narratives and puts modern, unconforming twists on their stories, is directed by Jennifer Morrison and written by both Evan Jonigkeit and Zosia Mamet, who married in 2016.
Fabled stars Zosia Mamet and Norbert Leo-Butz were both present for the premiere. I spoke with Zosia as well as writer/producer Evan Jonigkeit at the debut of the first episode of Fabled, which tells the story of Alice from Alice in Wonderland and Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz coming together after both have been admitted to a mental health facility. This episode is entitled “Anodyne.”
Synopsis: Allie and Dee are both creative young women that blaze their own trails and stray away from societal norms. They crave adventure and dream bigger than what the world tells them is acceptable. After meeting at an extensive behavioral therapy center, they find solace and fortitude in one another. Their bond illustrates the strength of friendship and the power that women can harness when they come together.
When asked about the collaborative creative process of making Fabled, Evan explained that “Writing and producing was great. It was a long road from when the idea got from its infancy to now teaming up with Refinery29 and working with the cast we have. It was amazing to see some words that you put down on paper come together and being able to bring the people together to make that happen. It was incredibly rewarding.”
Zosia went on to say, “Something that was really invaluable in us both being producers on this project and also having our partner Alex Gayner was that when one of us was acting, the other one was able to sort of team up with Alex and we could put on the producer hat . . . That’s definitely one of the benefits of being a team on the same project."
Fabled touches on themes of sexuality, gender, and relationships. I asked Zosia if her role in HBO’s Girls in any way influenced her in this work, and while her two characters in these shows differ greatly, she did say that both “touch on issues dealing with women in modern day society, which is obviously something that was sort of the kernel of the seedling behind Fabled. The Cinderella episode, which Evan and Trace Lysette star in, which was written by our friend Matt Flanders, was actually Evan’s idea of wanting to play with the Cinderella concept using a transition story.”
Fabled definitely offers viewers a reimagined interpretation of fairy tales unlike any other. This Refinery29 series is sure to wow audiences with its talented and inventive writers and actors.
Tribeca Film Festival - Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, and Tribeca Cinema360
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival
On April 22, Robert De Niro sat down with Academy Award nominee Bradley Cooper for a Tribeca Talk: Storytellers to discuss Cooper’s career focusing on their past work together including Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, Joy and Limitless. During the talk, Cooper credits De Niro for “changing his life” and “impacting him in a way that he never even knew.” Additionally, Director David O. Russell made a surprise appearance to discuss their past work together including Jennifer Lawrence’s favorite moment from Silver Linings Playbook where De Niro as Cooper’s father calls him a loser. He also reminisced on a story when he first met De Niro with Joe Pesce who said, “You’re going to find out when you hang out with this guy, that if you don't give him what to say, he’s not going to say anything.”
Another point of discussion was focused on Cooper’s upcoming directorial debut, a modern adaptation of A Star is Born, which he also produced, co-wrote, and stars in alongside Lady Gaga. Cooper goes on to say how he prepared for the role which included spending a year and a half taking vocal lessons and singing at major music festivals including Stagecoach and Glastonbury.
Cooper shared a touching story on how he met De Niro right as his dad became ill; his father soon after passed away in between Limitless and Silver Linings Playbook and the actors’ experience playing father and son was the reason they grew so close. He explained: “I got to say the word ‘dad’ all the time after my dad passed away, and I got to say it to you.”
You can view the talk here.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
Brent Hodge discussed his new film Freaks and Geeks: The Documentary with the creator of the original television series, Paul Feig, who shared that Seth Rogen only auditioned one time to join the cast. Feig is happy the cult hit, which catapulted Jason Segal, Busy Phillips and many others, has maintained its popularity and Hodge added “it’s lasted because of how honest it is.” Feig joked: “A lot of people are embarassed of their old stuff but everyone was still honored they are a part of the show.”
The Animated Shorts Curated by Whoopi G red carpet was full of smiles as the creators were joined by Whoopi Goldberg who posed for photos with the group. Tara Lipinski was on hand to support her husband Todd Kapostasy who produced a film in the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival: Sports Shorts, Sponsored by Mohegan Sun.
Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images
Director Nia Costa answered with surprise, “Me?!” to fans calling her name outside the red carpet right before stars Tessa Thompson and Lily James met her for the world premiere of Little Woods. And showing support for their daughter Katherine Waterston were parents Sam Waterston and Lynn Louisa at the world premiere of State Like Sleep. Also in attendance were director Meredith Danluck and stars Michael Shannon and Michiel Huisman.
Director Marianna Palka and cast members Christina Hendricks, Alysia Reiner, David Alan Basche, and Gbenga Akinnagbe walked the carpet for the world premiere of their film Egg. Ansel Elgort was joined by girlfriend Violetta Komyshan and co-star Suki Waterhouse for the world premiere of his sci-fi drama Jonathan. Members from the cast of The Seagull attended the world premiere of the film at including Annette Bening, Corey Stoll, Michael Zegen, Billy Howle, Brian Dennehy, Jon Tenney, Mare Winningham, Glenn Fleshler and Dana Delany. Also in attendance was Director Michael Mayer, Producer Tom Hulce as well as friend and special guest Alec Baldwin.
The Festival’s centerpiece gala Zoe was celebrated by cast members Ewan McGregor, Léa Seydoux, Matthew Gruber, and Director Drake Doremus who attended the world premiere of their recently acquired Amazon Prime film.
The Tribeca Film Festival took a musical turn with Bathtubs Over Broadway, that follows Late Night with David Letterman writer, Steve Young discovery of Industrial Musicals. Performers sang Broadway-style “industrial musicals” inspired by the film, even breaking out into song about the Tribeca Film Festival itself. Young claimed “performers are performers are performers” speaking on how important the arts and theater are for society.
A new addition to Tribeca Immersive is Tribeca Cinema360, a VR theater featuring four curated screening programs of 360° mobile content which opened today and runs through April 28. Tribeca Cinema360 spotlights four immersive screening programs: VR for Good Creators Lab, This is Climate Change, horror themed It’s Right Behind You, and the breathtaking experimental visions of Horizons.
Link to photos of Tribeca Cinema360 and the Tribeca Virtual Arcade featuring Storyscapes can be found here.
Photos Courtesy of SunshineSachs
Tribeca Film Festival - The Dark
One of the many horror films premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival was The Dark, a chilling story about a young flesh-eating girl who befriends a victim of physical abuse in the woods of her childhood home. Writer and director Justin P. Lange and lead star Nadia Alexander spoke with me about the process of creating this unique and unforgettable story.
Synopsis: Being a teenage girl is already difficult enough—so imagine also being an undead ghoul. That’s the horrible reality for Mina, a young woman who has been cursed to haunt her childhood home in the woods: Nobody gets in, and nobody gets out alive. That is, until she comes across Alex, a blind boy around her once-living age who is dealing with his own trauma. After she effortlessly dispatches his companion, Mina lets Alex live, and, by doing so, she begins to notice some old feelings, such as empathy and love, have resurfaced. It could be just a fluke—or Mina might be more alive than previously thought.
When asked what type of person is going to love The Dark, Nadia jokingly responded “psychotic and crazy.” Justin went on to say that an audience “that goes in with an open mind” and who is “willing to take the twists and turns with [the] characters” will love this film. Justin further commented on the fact that the movie makes audiences leave still processing and contemplating the story.
Nadia calls The Dark “genre-bending” with “a melding of different storytelling techniques.” It is emotional, dark, touching, and horrific. She further talked about the fact that The Dark is “a metaphor of abuse and the damage and monsters that come out of being abused.” Justin thinks of the ending as “bittersweet” and reflective of how the audience views the world.
On taking on her first solo lead role, Nadia explained that the creative process was challenging, complex, and fulfilling. Justin doted on Nadia’s commitment to the role, stating that “this was her movie . . . and she owned it.”
Additionally, Justin discussed the fact that he found it important to create a horror movie from the “perspective of the killer monster” because he knew that he “needed to feel strongly” alongside the character and to be with her “in her violence and in her rage.” Justin connected with this character deeply throughout his writing process, and Nadia fulfilled the role perfectly.
It was a pleasure discussing The Dark with Nadia and Justin, as this horror film undoubtedly left its mark on the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival.
https://www.tribecafilm.com/filmguide/dark-2018
Tribeca Film Festival - Scar Face Reunion, Bethany Hamilton
The first full day of the Tribeca Film Festival kicked off with a bang. Legends, the likes of Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer and Brian DePalma reunited for a special 35th Anniversary screening of Scarface. During the talk after the film, Pacino talked about the gory cult classic and Pfeiffer reminisced about her role in front of a packed house.
Sarah Jessica Parker and Common attended the premiere of their buzzed-about new film Blue Night. Ethan Hawke and Noomi Rapace celebrated their film Stockholm that talks about the inspiration for "Stockholm Syndrome."
Cast members Evan Rachel Wood, Jeffrey Wright, Thandie Newton and James Marsden were on hand to premiere the new season of Westworld. During the conversation after the film, James Marsden had the crowd laughing, saying Evan Rachel Woods’ new character is "hot for a second, but then you have to figure out how to stay alive." Following that, Thandie Newton made a not-so-subtle comparison of Westworld to our current political climate, and Evan Rachel Wood discussed how she did not really know her character going into season two.
John Legend discussed his career with Jesus Chris Superstar co-star Sara Bareilles, and then changed his outfit and hit up the premiere of United Skates, a film about African-American roller-rink culture, which he's an executive producer on. During his talk, Legend talked about how he met Kanye West before anyone knew who he was and shared that he'd already started to write songs for his unborn son.
The second day continued with a full day of screenings and events at venues around Lower Manhattan in New York City. Trayvon Martin's parents Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin joined filmmakers and moderator Joy Reid for a panel following the world premiere of Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story, about the tragic death of Martin and its impact on the #BlackLivesMatter movement. The incredibly moving panel following the screening welcomed Martin's parents with two standing ovations. The Martins discussed their struggle to put off grieving to fight for justice, and the importance of the series in helping Trayvon's story live on.
On a panel following the world premiere of National Geographic’s Genius: Picasso, Antonio Banderas spoke about the responsibility he felt to fill the shoes of the most prolific artists of all time, particularly having been born in the same Spanish city and growing up with the artist as an idol. He was joined by castmates Alex Rich, Clémence Poésy, and Samantha Colley, showrunner Ken Biller, executive producers Brian Grazer and Francie Calfo.
Alex Pettyfer‘s directorial debut Back Roads also made its world premiere tonight. His cast members, including Jennifer Morrison and Nicola Peltz, were all at the screening to support the film, which centers around a young man caring for his sisters after their mother is imprisoned for murdering their abusive father. Anwar Hadid was on hand to cheer on his girlfriend, Nicola.
Innovators Tony Faddell, Megan Smith, Joanna Hoffman, Marc Porat, Andy Hertzfeld attended the world premiere of their documentary General Magic, a tribute to their influential tech company. Bethany Hamilton arrived for the world premiere of Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable and reunited on the red carpet with actress AnnaSophia Robb who depicted her in 2011's Soul Surfer. Jeffrey Wright, who portrays a maximum-security prison inmate in Madeleine Sackler’s new film O.G., walked the carpet at the film’s world premiere along with producer Boyd Holbrook and actor William Fichtner while Michael Angarano and Dree Hemingway supported their new film In A Relationship at SVA Theatre.
Photos Courtesy of Sunshine Sachs
LOOT Opening Benefit
On Monday night, April 16, the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) held their annual LOOT Opening Benefit, which began with a three-hour cocktail portion on the second floor gallery where guests were in a flurry of jewelry shopping. The annual Awards Presentation at MAD’s ROBERT restaurant followed. The Museum honored four avid studio jewelry and arts philanthropists:Loreen Arbus was presented with her award by LOOT’s Chair Marsy Mittlemann; Carolee Lee was presented by MAD’s Board MemberAnn Kaplan, Michael and Karen Rotenberg was presented by LOOT’s Curator Bryna Pomp. All four honorees took to the podium and expressed their love for the Museum and the field of jewelry. During Loreen Arbus’s acceptance speech, she announced that MAD was her favorite museum in the world. The Museum’s Chair and Board of Trustees Michele Cohen made the opening remarks at the benefit dinner. Chairman Emerita Barbara Tober and husband Donald Tober were present, as well.
LOOT: MAD About Jewelry, annual five-day exhibition and sale of contemporary art jewelry, with all proceeds benefiting the Museum’s programs and exhibitions. Now in its 18th edition, LOOT remains the only event in North America to provide the public with the opportunity to meet and directly acquire contemporary pieces from the most skilled, innovative, and creative jewelry artists working globally today. Open to the public from April 17 through April 21, this year’s LOOT features a curated selection of jewelry by thirty-five international emerging and established artists.
“The 2018 artists we invited stood out for their inspiring craftsmanship and inventiveness,” said LOOT Curator Bryna Pomp. “The jewelry featured incorporates a wide range of remarkable non- traditional materials, from crocheted textiles, ecologically tie-dyed silk, felt, leather, and resin to 3D-printed nylon, titanium, safety pins, bicycle tires, X-ray film, papier-mâché, and wood.”
LOOT 2018 welcomes thirty-five artists from fifteen countries, most of whom have never been shown in New York. In addition to artists from Argentina (2), Denmark (2), France (5), Germany (2), Greece (3), Israel (1), Italy (4), Japan (1), Romania (1), South Korea (1), Spain (1), Switzerland (1), United Kingdom (8), and the United States (2), LOOT will feature an artist from Thailand for the first time in the event’s history.
LOOT: MAD About Jewelry reflects the Museum of Arts and Design’s commitment to the exploration of materials and process, as well as its long-standing presentation of jewelry as an art form. MAD is the only American museum with a gallery dedicated to the display of both temporary jewelry exhibits and its own collection of contemporary and modern studio and art jewelry.
One of the evening highlights was Shannon R. Stratton’s, Chief Curator of the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), announcement that artists Isabelle Molénat and Sarran Youkongdee have been awarded the third annual LOOT Acquisition Prize, on the occasion of the eighteenth edition of LOOT: MAD About Jewelry. LOOT presents a cross section of the most exciting cutting-edge art jewelry designs, while offering the public a rare opportunity to purchase pieces from and to meet some of the most skilled creators in the field. This year’s prize will result in the acquisition of two jewelry works, Isabelle Molénat’s Collection Knots Necklace (2018) made of silk and polypropylene and Sarran Youkongdee’s Siam Rattikarn (2017) made of Felt, brass, pearl, for the Museum’s collection. Awarded by a jury, the LOOT Acquisition Prize seeks to recognize a LOOT jewelry artist whose work reflects a maturity in artistry and concept; exhibits both a superior and experimental understanding of materials and form; and demonstrates expertise in technique and execution.
ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN
The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) champions contemporary makers across creative fields and presents the work of artists, designers, and artisans who apply the highest level of ingenuity and skill. Since the Museum’s founding in 1956 by philanthropist and visionary Aileen Osborn Webb, MAD has celebrated all facets of making and the creative processes by which materials are transformed, from traditional techniques to cutting-edge technologies. Today, the Museum’s curatorial program builds upon a rich history of exhibitions that emphasize a cross-disciplinary approach to art and design, and reveals the workmanship behind the objects and environments that shape our everyday lives. MAD provides an international platform for practitioners who are influencing the direction of cultural production and driving twenty-first-century innovation, and fosters a participatory setting for visitors to have direct encounters with skilled making and compelling works of art and design.
A full list of the LOOT 2018 artists found at www.madmuseum.org/loot.
Photos courtesy of LOOT and MAD Museum
Taste of the Nation NYC 2018
Food events are common nowadays, but on April 18th, one of the most anticipated annual food events brought all the foodies to Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Each Spring and Summer, the country’s hottest chefs, sommeliers and mixologists join together to donate their time, talent and passion, with one goal in mind: ending childhood hunger in America by supporting Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry presented by Citi and Sysco.
Here in New York, 1 in 5 kids struggle with hunger. Only 47% of kids who eat free/reduced price school lunch also eat school breakfast, and only 31% of kids who eat free/reduced price school also eat summer meals. That being said, No Kid Hungry have made huge strides in New York City. Working with the Mayor's Office, the department of Education, community leaders, teachers, and corporate partners to overcome barriers, No Kid Hungry has helped schools modernize the way they serve breakfast. This April, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a state budget that includes a requirement for all "high needs" public schools - those with 70% and higher free and reduced-price student population - to offer Breakfast After the Bell. Over the next few years, this bill will impact tens of thousands of kids at risk of hunger across New York State.
Widely considered a wonderful celebration that brings entire communities together to enjoy the best of what your city has to offer in food, drinks and fellowship. With nearly 40 events in 20 cities across the nation, guests of Taste of the Nation gets to sip and sample gourmet creations from each city’s premier culinary talent and participate in unique food, travel and lifestyle auctions – all while supporting a good cause.
In addition to hosting wonderful food events, Taste of the Nation also brings together top talents in the music industry to perform on its special event stages. This year’s NYC event was definitely no different, with a special performance by the rock hitmakers, X Ambassadors. X Ambassadors, provided a live soundtrack featuring some of their biggest hits - Renegade and Unsteady, to an evening of unforgettable gastronomic creations.
This year’s celebration featured delectable dishes from American Cut, Baar Baar, Bessou, BKLN Larder, Blue Smoke, Claro, Colonie, CUT, Cuzin’s Duzin, Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse, Department of Education, DoughNation, EMMY Squared, Fausto, Ferris, Glaze Donuts, High Street on Hudson, Kung Fu Tea, La Newyorkina, Little Tong Noodle Shop, Mokbar , Pain D’Avignon, Restaurant Norman, Samesa, Shuka, Sunday in Brooklyn, Talde , Temple Court, The Doughnut Project, Underwest Donuts, Vic’s, and Walter’s Hot Dogs
Special drinks to wash down all delicious bites were hand-crafted cocktails mixed by bartenders from BlackTail, Las’ Lap, Leyenda, Llama Inn, La Contenta, LOVERBOY, Porchlight, Rockey’s, Rum House, Sauvage, and Ward III
Guest were also able to enjoy the free-flowing Rosé Garden, a Donut Derby, and interactive photo booth fun; a phenomenal evening, all for a great cause!
Photos courtesy of Taste of the Nation
Tribeca Film Festival - Cargo
The April 19th premier of Netflix’s Cargo at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival caused a great stir of excitement among filmmakers, stars, and moviegoers alike. This film, produced by Samantha Jennings and Kristina Ceyton of Causeway Films, follows the story of a loving father who is infected by a violent disease in rural Australia. Amidst post apocalyptic mayhem, he struggles to find a safe home for his child.
Cargo stars - Martin Freeman, Anthony Hayes, Susie Porter, Caren Pistorius, Kris McQuade, Natasha Wanganeen and David Gulpilil showed up and showed out at the premiere. I had the pleasure of discussing the film with Martin Freeman on the red carpet for premier night.
Cargo, which was originally a short directed by Yolanda Ramke and Ben Howling, was sent to Martin alongside the screenplay for the 2018 film. While this film details the hardships that a father must withstand when faced with protecting his child, Martin spoke about why Cargo truly is a movie for everyone.
Martin, who has a daughter of his own, explained that “being a parent does feed into [the storyline], but you don’t need massive amounts of imagination” to understand the extent of what a parent is willing to do for their child. He explained, “Even if I wasn’t a parent, [the story] still would have spoken to me . . . but certainly you are very aware as a parent all the time of the sacrifices that you are prepared to make and the things you are prepared to do to keep your children safe, so I love the fact that this character in this film goes the whole way as far as it could go.”
Youth America Grand Prix 2018
Photo Credit: Presley Ann for PMC and Annie Watt Agency
World's largest student ballet scholarship audition - YOUTH AMERICA GRAND PRIX (YAGP) - returned to the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on Thursday, April 19th for its magnificent gala. The week of ballet festivities concluded with the critically-acclaimed "Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow" in the heart of Lincoln Center.
Photo Credit: Presley Ann for PMC and Annie Watt Agency
The annually sold-out YAGP Gala featured talented young finalists of YAGP 2018 Season onstage alongside international ballet stars. NBC's Hoda Kotb, began the program by welcoming the guests to this year's performances featuring finalists from the competition alongside international ballet stars including Dutch National Ballet principal Sasha Mukhamedov, American Ballet Theatre's Isabella Boylston and Daniil Simkin, and New York City Ballet principal Daniel Ulbricht, among others.
Photo Credit: Presley Ann for PMC and Annie Watt Agency
The program also includes Tres Hombres, originally premiered in March 2018 at YAGP's partner Gala de Danza in Los Cabos, and features New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Daniel Ulbricht, multi-award-winning ballroom champion Denys Drozdyuk and So You Think You Can Dance Season 14 winner and YAGP Alum Lex Ishimoto.
Photo Credit: Presley Ann for PMC and Annie Watt Agency
This year's Gala featured several remarkable musicians, including young piano protege Rosalia Vlaeva Malik, clarinetist Weixion Wang, world-renowned pianist Jorge Viladoms, award-winning pianist Vassily Primakov, electric violinist Sarah Charness, and drummer Caleb Spaulding. Artist and illustrator Hilary Knight, best known for co-creating the 'Eloise' books has created original illustrations that was projected on stage during the Gala performance.
Photo Credit: Presley Ann for PMC and Annie Watt Agency
Following the performances continued on to the Gala Dinner chaired by Amy Astley, Ashley Olsen, Mary Kate Olsen, Colby Mugrabi, Candice Jordan Miller, Marcella Guarino Hymowitz and Lesley Thompson Vecsler in the promenade of the David H. Koch Theater. During the Gala Dinner, the original Hillary Knight drawings was auctioned off to benefit YAGP's educational efforts.
About YAGP
YAGP is the world’s largest and one of the most prestigious international ballet competitions, as well as a New York-based 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization. The mission of YAGP is to provide a global network of dance organization that provides scholarship opportunities and master classes for young dancers’ ages 9 to 19 around the world. The YAGP also holds annual competitions in multiple international and national venues that continues for nearly a full year. Each season, selected students from these competitions are invited to New York City to participate in the week-long finals. These promising dancers will receive in-depth mentoring and greater scholarship, professional, and performance opportunities. In less than twenty years YAGP has become an institution – not only for the esteem of its awards, but for the exposure it provides to young dancers to be seen by, and to make an impression on, representatives of ballet schools and companies from across the globe. For more information and how to donate to YAGP, click here.
Photos courtesy of Annie Watt Agency and Presley Ann for Patrick McMullan
Tribeca Film Festival Opening Gala
The 2018 Tribeca Film Festival, kicked off in a big way with the always festive Opening Night Gala. The place to be this evening was Beacon Theater, where A-listers like Robert De Niro, Billy Crystal, Tina Fey, and many more packed the historic theater. The opening night transported the guests back to the 1970s with the premiere of Love, Gilda, a film that explores the world of celebrated Emmy® and Grammy® award-winning comedian Gilda Radner who became a cultural icon the moment audiences first laughed with her on Saturday Night Live’s debut episode. Love, Gilda, presented by CNN Films, is directed and produced by Lisa D’Apolito. It weaves together audiotapes, rare home movies, diary entries, and interviews with her friends and those inspired by her.
Tina Fey, introduced the film to a sold out audience and got emotional speaking about Gilda’s legacy and her influence on female comedians. Following the premiere, the Festival opening continued at Tavern on the Green.
The festival officially kicks off tomorrow, for tickets and events please visit: https://www.tribecafilm.com/
EL Education 25th Gala
On April 10th, 2018, EL Education, a leading K-12 nonprofit that is transforming schools in diverse communities across the country, hosted its 25th Anniversary Gala at the landmarked 583 Park Avenue in New York City.
Alex Tom James
EL Education (formerly Expeditionary Learning) was launched 25 years ago when a group of educators from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Outward-Bound USA won the New American Schools national competition for school designs that “break the mold.” Today, the organization partners with hundreds of public schools across 35 states, reaching more than a million students across America, to help them succeed as engaged students and active citizens. EL Education's Network of Schools generates remarkable outcomes, with 100% college acceptance rate as the standard.
The event started with a cocktail hour in the lower level of the iconic venue. Guests enjoyed an exquisite open bar and savory hor d'oeuvres, such as lamb chops and pigs in a blanket. After mix and mingling, patrons were invited upstairs to the grand ball room for the start of the program and dinner.
Student Hosts - Ameerah Rollins and Elena Fulton
The pride of the program’s success – the students, were on full display. The event was hosted by EL Education graduates Elena Fulton and Ameerah Rollins. The two young ladies were natural on stage - keeping their points short and precise, while hitting all the key notes. Four extraordinary 12th grade students from WHEELS (Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School in New York) also took center stage and presented their stories on how EL changed their lives for the better. “We are EL,” was the central message in all their stories, expressing appreciation for the program that allowed them to be their best selves and lift their peers and communities, ensuring success for all.
Greg Farrell (second) and Mr. Hartl (far right)
This year, the Gala honored its Founding President Greg Farrell for his lifelong commitment to make schools more engaging, effective, and joyous. Mr. Farrell served as President and CEO of the organization from its founding until 2008, but he continues to serve on its Board of Directors. In an emotional speech, Greg thanked all the people who paved the way for the program.
Sydney Chaffee, Ameerah Rollins, Elena Fulton
The Gala program also featured remarks by National Teacher of the Year, Sydney Chaffee, a 9th grade Humanities teacher at Codman Academy Charter Public School, an EL Education school in Boston. At the heart of EL Education are their extraordinary teachers - men and women who fulfill their highest aspirations so that the students achieve more than they think is possible. EL works with teachers in all settings to build their capacity to ignite student’s motivation, persistence, and compassion so they become active contributors to building a better world and succeed in school, college, career, and life. Teachers and staff in EL schools don't just believe in the value of their approach; they verify it. Sydney echoed this message with her final words to the guests: “What our country needs right now are people who can listen with empathy, write with evidence, speak with clarity and act with conviction and love, then you believe in EL Education.”
About EL Education
For over 25 years, EL Education has been bringing to life a three-dimensional vision of student achievement that includes mastery of knowledge and skills, character, and high-quality student work. EL Education works with hundreds of public schools—both district and charter—across 35 states, serving over 200,000 students and 16,000 teachers. Rigorous impact studies by Mathematica Policy Research demonstrate that EL Education’s approach works: teachers significantly improve their craft and students achieve more, regardless of background.
Grounded in decades of in-depth work with educators, EL Education creates highly respected, widely distributed open educational resources, including: an acclaimed literacy curriculum that has been downloaded 8.7 million times and received the highest possible ratings from EdReports.org; the world’s largest collection of exemplary student projects; inspiring instructional videos with over 1.3 million views; hundreds of free online resources; and best-selling education books.
For information on EL Education or to donate, go to https://eleducation.org/join-the-movement/donate
Photos Courtesy of El Museo del Barrio
McKayla Maroney Speaks at NYSPCC Luncheon
The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (The NYSPCC) held its annual Spring Luncheon on Tuesday, April 17th, at The Pierre hotel in Manhattan. This year’s Luncheon featured an intimate conversation between Olympic Gold Medalist McKayla Maroney and Dr. Mary L. Pulido, Executive Director of The NYSPCC, in McKayla’s first public remarks since revealing her abuse by former U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar.
Maroney first broke her silence via the hashtag (#MeToo) movement trending after the Harvey Weinstein scandal. In the letter posted on twitter, Maroney detailed the abuse she endured under Nasser, and passionately urged that "Our silence has given the wrong people power for too long, and its time to take our power back" Her former "fierce five" Olympics teammate, Aly Raisman showed tremendous support as she also suffered the same abuse under Nasser.
In a room of 250 guests, Maroney discussed her road to recovery, her thoughts on USA Gymnastics, Michigan State University (MSU), and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC)’s role in enabling Nassar’s abuse, and what she plans to do moving forward.
“Within the gymnastics world, there’s no question we need to rebuild from the ground up so this never happens again,” Maroney said. “I definitely see a future where athletes are safe and succeeding. My team won gold medals in spite of USA Gymnastics, MSU, and the USOC. They don’t build champions, they break them. But we’re changing that.”
“I at times question if my gymnastics career was really even worth it because of the stuff I’m dealing with now, because sometimes you’re just left in the dust,” Maroney continued.“You have to pick up the pieces of your life. That has been the hardest part for me, but it’s always three steps forward, two steps back.”
Maroney also stressed the importance of prevention and awareness via initiatives like The NYSPCC’s Safe Touches program, and asked the crowd to contact their local representatives to push for legislation that will close New York state’s private school child abuse loophole; currently, private schools are not required to immediately report child sexual abuse as public schools are mandated to do.
“We are so grateful that McKayla chose to share her story with The NYSPCC,” said Dr. Pulido, who also delivered a heartfelt speech about the need to protect children from sexual abuse. “When you hear about a horrific story in the media like the indescribable abuse from Larry Nassar, it’s easy to become discouraged and lose hope. It’s The NYSPCC’s mission to help children who have endured abuse like McKayla’s with our trauma recovery program. We hope that her remarkable bravery both in her sport and in her personal life inspires others to join the fight to end child abuse.”
“McKayla’s remarks were inspiring,” added Karl Wellner, President of the Board of The NYSPCC. “Despite the fact that she is still healing from years of abuse, she showed up today to remind us why the work The NYSPCC does is so important. Programs like Safe Touches, our child sexual abuse prevention program, can ensure that what happened to McKayla never happens again, and her support of The NYSPCC is invaluable.”
Nassar was accused of sexually abusing more than 260 women and girls, and was sentenced in February to an additional 40-to-125 years in prison after approximately 200 of those women and girls spoke in person or through statements in court.
About NYSPCC
The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NYSPCC) was established in 1875 as the first child protection agency in the world. The NYSPCC laid the groundwork and assumed the main role in the protective investigation, removal, and placement of abused and neglected children when no other organization was willing. Today, we offer and promote programs aimed at the prevention of child maltreatment and the lessening of its harmful effects.
Since its incorporation 140 years ago, The NYSPCC has investigated more than 650,000 cases on behalf of over 2,000,000 children. The NYSPCC has also educated over 50,000 professionals who work with children on how to identify and report suspected child abuse and neglect.
Photos Courtesy of High10media
Wok Wok Southeast Asian Kitchen
Ever since I moved to New York City, I’ve tried to find the perfect Central Perk esque hangout spot. Someplace cozy and clean, with great coffee and comfy couches...the perfect place for chill catch ups with friends.
Well, that was then, and this is now. Coffee shops are out, and Chinatown is in. That’s right, my days of scouring the East Village and battling hipsters for seats are over. As of last Friday, my new go-to hangout is Wok Wok Southeast Asian Kitchen (@Wokwokny), a fusion restaurant specializing in Malaysian and Thai cuisine.
At first, it’s easy to dismiss Wok Wok as a generic hole in the wall -- it’s easy to miss, located in the basement area of a nondescript building at the far end of Mott Street. But the path down the narrow stairs reveals something more: a clean, minimalist space, accented with a open pantry that gives the area a slight shophouse vibe. It’s an eclectic mix, but it works almost as well as the food, which, as it should be, is the absolute highlight of the Wok Wok experience.
My friend and I started off our meal with the Creamy Thai Iced Tea -- a staple at any Southeast Asian restaurant. Served in mason jars, the drinks were immediately to our liking -- just the right amount of sweetness, and Instagram worthy to boot.
We followed our drinks with a round of appetizers. As recommended, we dug into a variety of street snacks: Roti Cheese, Roti Rendang, Grilled Satay Chicken, Popcorn Chicken, and Fried Potstickers. While the staples were top notch, the Roti dishes especially stood out: golden, layered, and crisp, they were the perfect accompaniment to a spicy chicken and potato curry.
For my main, I ordered the Malay Kam Heung Shrimp, which was served in the Chef’s signature 18 spice house blend, while my friend opted for Malaysian Curry Chicken with Potato Over Rice. Both of us exclaimed over our respective dishes: my most repeated phrase that night was “it’s so soft!” -- in reference to the fall apart, melt in your mouth shrimp I was served, and even as someone who is notorious for avoiding chicken served on the bone (I’m definitely a breast over wing type), I found myself pulling pieces of chicken out of the curry and eating them straight up. Yes, it was that flavorful.
While there are various dessert options at Wok Wok, my friend and I finished our meal with a dish from the appetizer menu: fried buns served with condensed milk. Known as fried mantou, the dish is almost the perfect metaphor for Wok Wok as a whole: simple, yet satisfying.
So next time you’re down in Chinatown, stop in at this hidden gem and try a few or even all of their dishes. With such a huge, diverse menu and great portions, there’ll definitely be something here for even the pickiest of your crew.
The restaurant is located in the heart of chinatown: 11 Mott St, New York, NY 10013
Special thanks to Roy and Marissa
Parkinson's Foundation Celebrate Spring
The Parkinson’s Foundation hosted its 11th Annual Celebrate Spring New York event on Wednesday, April 11 at Lavo, New York City. More than 400 New Yorkers gathered at the famed night club for a night of partying and charity. It was truly an inspirational evening where family and friends came together, raising an outstanding $200,000, to bring awareness for a disease that affects the entire community and not just the afflicted person. Proceeds from the evening will support the foundation’s research programs.
George Oliphant, Katherine Kennedy, Torri Leeds, Brooke Boyd, and Penn Egbert
Celebrate Spring New York has become a hot ticket ever since it was conceived in 2008 by G. Pennington Egbert III, Missy Egbert Sheehan and Georgina B. Schaeffer. The trio started the Young New Yorkers for the Fight Against Parkinson’s committee to do exactly what the name of the group implies. Inspired by their fathers, who have lived with the condition, their goal is to help fund scientific research to find cure, as well as engage the next generation of philanthropists. Each year, the event brings out countless young supporters into the fold to help fund the work of future leaders in Parkinson’s research and care.
Rachel Moskowitz, Gregg Moskowitz, Scott Steinman and Leah Steinman
The extraordinary evening was a delectable affair, starting with rounds of unique cocktails and savory hors d'oeuvres, including tuna tartar, pizza margherita, and parmesan chicken. Music by DJ Brenda Black filled the room, where guests showed off their fancy footwork. An exciting live auction with prizes including many romantic getaways, a private stay at Tuxedo Park, and an eighteen-hole golf extravaganza at Fishers Island.
Kim Wolfberg and Adam Wolfberg
Parkinson’s disease, a disorder of the central nervous system that affects movement and often includes tremors and impaired balance, affects up to 1 million people in the U.S. Doctors diagnose as many as 60,000 new cases each year. The Parkinson’s Foundation is working toward a world without Parkinson’s disease and improving the lives of people with Parkinson’s and their families through improved treatments, support and the best care.
Penn Egbert, Missy Egbert Sheehan, and Jonathan Romero
Throughout the years, Celebrate Spring New York has raised more than one million dollars for Parkinson’s Disease Foundation. The dream of being Parkinson’s disease free is getting closer every day.
To donate or become a volunteer for the Parkinson’s Foundation, please visit www.pdf.org/csny
Photo Credit: Sylvain Gaboury/PMC via Getty Images
About the Parkinson’s Foundation
The Parkinson’s Foundation makes life better for people with Parkinson’s disease by improving care and advancing research toward a cure. In everything we do, we build on the energy, experience and passion of our global Parkinson’s community. For more information, visit www.parkinson.org or call (800) 4PD-INFO (473-4636).
About Parkinson’s Disease
Affecting an estimated one million Americans and 10 million worldwide, Parkinson’s disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s and is the 14th-leading cause of death in the United States. It is associated with a progressive loss of motor control (e.g., shaking or tremor at rest and lack of facial expression), as well as non-motor symptoms (e.g., depression and anxiety). There is no cure for Parkinson’s and 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the United States alone.
The Bloody Mary Festival
On Sunday, April 8th, New Yorkers from all five boroughs gathered together in the the heart of Brooklyn to enjoy good company and even better Bloody Marys at The Bloody Mary Festival - NYC, also known as the “Sunday Funday Brunch Party of the year.”
The festival, which hosts dozens of New York restaurants and bars, is a chance for mixologists of all levels to serve guests their best Bloody Mary concoctions in order to determine whose brunch cocktail reigns supreme.Guests of the festival were able to enjoy a few hours of live music, tasty food, and most importantly, Bloody Marys of all kinds. The event took place at Grand Prospect Hall, a breathtaking Victorian banquet hall in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Guests were also able to use an outside seating area of the hall to enjoy the spring sunshine.
Additionally, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly products as well as beer on tap were offered to those who steered away from the Bloody Mary route. Local vendors sold their food and drink products (one memorable item being bacon jam in a jar - which was delicious) and enjoyed telling guests about them. After trying all of the different craft Bloody Marys, guests were able to vote on their favorite stations with poker chips.
Overall, everyone had a fantastic time, and the Bloody Mary Festival undoubtedly has left its bloody mark on New York. From spicy to sweet to citrusy to robust, this festival has proven that there is no right or wrong way to make an incredible Bloody.
Photos courtesy of Bloody Mary Festival