Celebrating Community
More than a month after the killings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Ahmaud Arbery, worldwide protests against police violence continue. New and old cases of police killings of civilians are gaining and regaining national attention. In the effort to deconstruct systemic police violence, New York seems to be making some strides with relatively aggressive actions. On June 12, 2020, […]
As the number of daily COVID-19 cases declines, a return to semi-normalcy continues to take shape in New York City – especially for the restaurant industry. However, before eateries could implement outdoor dining on June 22, some local establishments participated in the Great American Takeout (GAT) on June 11. This day was a nationwide call for customers to support their […]
A few weeks ago, I went shopping at Caputo’s Bakery Shop, and Court Street Pastry in my old Carroll Gardens neighbourhood. During these hard times, there is nothing like ciabatta bread and sweet delicious pastries to bite back on that locked-in feeling. Thankfully, bakeries are considered essential businesses. Stopping in at Caputo’s first, I recognized a neighbour, Lorraine, who had […]
In a word, fatigue may be the most accurate response to 2020 thus far. Pandemic aside, viral content of Black people being racially profiled and murdered by either vigilantes or police is sadly routine. On March 13, 26-year-old EMT Breonna Taylor, was killed by a spray of bullets from officers shooting under a ‘no-knock’ warrant – it appears the officers […]
During the first phase of the shutdown, art galleries were forced to close everywhere. Private galleries have long functioned within the art market as a crucial link between artists and their audience: critics, collectors, and the general public. But today, the “art market is in apnea,” said Pietro Gagliardi, owner of the Gagliardi Domke, one of the biggest contemporary galleries […]
There are a few genuine Italian speciality food stores left in New York City. One of them is D. Coluccio & Sons. In what used to be the centre of Little Italy in Brooklyn, D. Coluccio & Sons is sandwiched between Borough Park, Bensonhurst and Bay Ridge. Founded by Domenico Coluccio in 1962, D. Coluccio & Sons has the finest […]
Since March, healthcare workers have come face-to-face with the coronavirus disease that has taken the lives of too many New Yorkers. This is the story of the Bay Ridge Ambulance Volunteer Organization (BRAVO) – a free, community-run ambulance service that serves Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Fort Hamilton. The organization has been working tirelessly during the pandemic to help not […]
Teachers were thrown for an unprecedented loop last month when they were given just days’ notice to adjust their teaching methods and lesson plans in response to the escalation of COVID-19. On March 15, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that New York City schools would be temporarily closed from March 16 to April 19, resulting in a move to a […]
Bride-to-be Tanya Gonzalez put the two pairs of custom Converse sneakers, which she and her fiancé Michael Sanchez designed together months ago, back in their boxes. The shoes were supposed to be worn at their wedding reception on May 15. But due to the coronavirus outbreak in New York City last month, their plans came to a sudden halt, leaving […]
When Urban Recovery at 411 Van Brunt Street first opened its doors on January 7, 2019 nobody really knew what to expect. Rumors swirled and critics, well, were critics. Now after a little over year of operation, it’s time to review Urban Recovery. I have a special relationship with UR. since I was a patient there for 5 weeks in […]