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The Philadelphia Tango Festival gets everyone dancing!
The Philadelphia Tango Festival is poetry in motion.Hundreds of tango enthusiasts gathered on the dance floor, well into the early hours of the morning past 4am.All in a mutual embrace.A thousand different dances, for a thousand different people.And it's all thanks to Meredith Klein.She's the director of the 12th Philadelphia Tango Festival and co-founder of the Philadelphia Argentine Dance School."The theme this year is all about the poetry of the tango embrace," she says. "As dancers, we're not always listening to the lyrics. It's not a choregraphed dance. It's totally improvised, made up in the moment. The only way to do it right is to listen, come together in the moment."The tango festival offers a series of workshops, classes, nightly social dances, yoga classes, live orchestra concerts and practice sessions."It's a difficult dance, a challenging dance," says Kerry Kay of Princeton, N.J. "But that's one of the reasons I love it. It's an indescribable feeling in the room. It's almost like we're all dancing with each other."For more information about the poetry of tango, visit https://www.philadelphiatangoschool.com.
Culinary icon Dominque Crenn continues to shine
Meet Dominque Crenn, she's the only female chef in the United States to attain three Michelin stars, for her restaurant, Atelier Crenn.The San Francisco-based spot expresses Crenn's French heritage through healthy, sustainable dishes in a vibrant environment."I want people to feel special here and I want them to forget about the day or to forget about how many hours they've been on the internet and looking at all those things that's happening," shared Crenn. "Just come here and relax."Crenn was born in France and adopted at 18 months by a French couple from Versailles."I never went to cooking school, studying...
Culinary icon Dominque Crenn continues to shine
Meet Dominque Crenn, she's the only female chef in the United States to attain three Michelin stars, for her restaurant, Atelier Crenn.The San Francisco-based spot expresses Crenn's French heritage through healthy, sustainable dishes in a vibrant environment."I want people to feel special here and I want them to forget about the day or to forget about how many hours they've been on the internet and looking at all those things that's happening," shared Crenn. "Just come here and relax."Crenn was born in France and adopted at 18 months by a French couple from Versailles."I never went to cooking school, studying...
Student captures the essence of Philadelphia's Chinese community with Chinatown Legacies book
Melody Wang is a student author who is devoted to capturing the essence of Philadelphia's Chinatown.She photographs the city streets and the authentic lives of its residents in her new book: "Chinatown Legacies."It is meant to put a spotlight on the brave immigrants who came to this country and made a life in America like her family did."My parents are actually first-generation immigrants. Something that my family personally struggled with was finding that coalition of people that really resonated with our stories, our struggles," said Wang. "We found that Chinatown was kind of like that slice of home for us that I really wanted to capture my roots and especially bring honor to my parents and their stories.For more information on "Chinatown Legacies," check out their website: meiliteraryworks.com/book.
Student captures the essence of Philadelphia's Chinese community with Chinatown Legacies book
Melody Wang is a student author who is devoted to capturing the essence of Philadelphia's Chinatown.She photographs the city streets and the authentic lives of its residents in her new book: "Chinatown Legacies."It is meant to put a spotlight on the brave immigrants who came to this country and made a life in America like her family did."My parents are actually first-generation immigrants. Something that my family personally struggled with was finding that coalition of people that really resonated with our stories, our struggles," said Wang. "We found that Chinatown was kind of like that slice of home for us that I really wanted to capture my roots and especially bring honor to my parents and their stories.For more information on "Chinatown Legacies," check out their website: meiliteraryworks.com/book.
BottleRock has never been sweeter
Over the years, BottleRock has made a name for itself with incredible, eclectic line-ups of the best music entertainment around. This year, Stevie Nicks, Pearl Jam, and Ed Sheeran headlined the main stage."BottleRock is a collection of genres. It's a little bit of something for everybody versus a lot of one thing for somebody," GM of OHM Coffee Roasters Peggy Lopez-LaCrosse explains."I've had so many people tell me that it's one of the best music venues," Vintage Sweet Shoppe owner Debbie Dever adds.As attendees explore the different stages and bands, they quickly realize that the food and wine line-up is...
Vegan BBQ joint bites into Big Apple
Pure Grit BBQ in the Kips Bay neighborhood of Manhattan is a completely different barbecue experience.The restaurants menu is entirely vegan and gluten-free.Founder, Texan and vegan since childhood Kerry Fitzmaurice says that, at its core, barbecue is about more than meat."What I love about barbecue is the gathering, is the community, is the sharing. And I just felt excluded. If I felt excluded there had to be other people out there," says Fitzmaurice.Pure Grit tumbled upon the recipe for the perfect texture and taste."We did an event but we didnt know their ovens so we ended up burning it and it formed this incredible crust so we sauced it and rehydrated it. It came out so beautifully!"Pure Grits menu is packed with classic barbecue favorites and inspired new dishes aimed at making sure everyone feels included.
Meet the countertenor on a mission
Jordan Rutter-Covatto is professional countertenor based in New York City.People hearing him perform for the first time are sometimes taken by surprise, because his singing voice sounds much higher than they expect."The simplest way to describe a countertenor is to say this: in opera, it's a man who sings in a woman's range," Rutter-Covatto said.Countertenors often have tenor or baritone chest voices, but sing in falsetto or head voice much more often than they do in their chest voice, giving them their unusual range.Rutter-Covatto explains that when he was in college, he studied and performed as a baritone. He...
These backpacks carry uplifting social-justice messages
Wilbur Pack, Jr. founded SK WiLBUR in 1997, aiming to revolutionize fashion for working women.In 2011, he expanded into plus-size fashion. Pack then ventured into accessories, gaining recognition for his distinctive bag designs carried by celebrities like Keke Palmer, Jasmine Guy, and Oscar-nominated actress, Gabourey Sidibe.In 2022, Pack launched B.Brave by SK WiLBUR, featuring vibrant backpacks with original comic-book artwork and digital content. Pack's memorable guerrilla sidewalk fashion shows during NY Fashion Week garnered press coverage and visibility within the fashion industry.Pack also supports social causes like The H.O.P.E. Program and the Black Accessory Designers Alliance, Inc., a nonprofit organization celebrating accessory designers of color he co-founded in 2016.His backpacks are featured in cultural institutions and retail outlets, like Harlems Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and the Houston Museum of African American Culture in Texas.
These backpacks carry uplifting social-justice messages
Wilbur Pack, Jr. founded SK WiLBUR in 1997, aiming to revolutionize fashion for working women.In 2011, he expanded into plus-size fashion. Pack then ventured into accessories, gaining recognition for his distinctive bag designs carried by celebrities like Keke Palmer, Jasmine Guy, and Oscar-nominated actress, Gabourey Sidibe.In 2022, Pack launched B.Brave by SK WiLBUR, featuring vibrant backpacks with original comic-book artwork and digital content. Pack's memorable guerrilla sidewalk fashion shows during NY Fashion Week garnered press coverage and visibility within the fashion industry.Pack also supports social causes like The H.O.P.E. Program and the Black Accessory Designers Alliance, Inc., a nonprofit organization celebrating accessory designers of color he co-founded in 2016.His backpacks are featured in cultural institutions and retail outlets, like Harlems Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and the Houston Museum of African American Culture in Texas.
Four generations of Veecks in baseball
Back in 1917, a Chicago American sportswriter named William Veeck got an unlikely promotion.Veeck, known in the Hearst-owned newspaper under the pseudonym "Bill Bailey", was hired by Chicago Cubs owner William Wrigley to become vice-president of the team that the chewing gum magnate had bought into a year earlier.Since that time, the name Veeck has been synonymous with Chicago baseball.Of course, Bill Veeck is the most famous representative of this baseball dynasty. Veeck started with the Cubs in the 1930s, working under his father before Williams untimely death in 1933.And Veeck stayed with the Cubs through the early 1940s, where...
Four generations of Veecks in baseball
Back in 1917, a Chicago American sportswriter named William Veeck got an unlikely promotion.Veeck, known in the Hearst-owned newspaper under the pseudonym "Bill Bailey", was hired by Chicago Cubs owner William Wrigley to become vice-president of the team that the chewing gum magnate had bought into a year earlier.Since that time, the name Veeck has been synonymous with Chicago baseball.Of course, Bill Veeck is the most famous representative of this baseball dynasty. Veeck started with the Cubs in the 1930s, working under his father before Williams untimely death in 1933.And Veeck stayed with the Cubs through the early 1940s, where...
Go on a 'Wild Encounter' at the Bronx Zoo
While any trip to the zoo is bound to be enriching and educational, the Bronx Zoo is taking the experience to the next level with its "Wild Encounters" program.Supervisor Kira Babuska helps bring visitors and animals face-to-face. She calls "Wild Encounters "a special experience that you can add to your day at the zoo.You can walk into a room and be able to hear an animal purr or you can look at one right in the eye."They will come into this room sometimes and smell your shoes to see if you have any pets at home."The close connections bring out the animals true personality.Zoo director Jim Breheny hopes the encounters remind guests not to take wildlife for granted.He says: "We want the takeaway to be that these animals are a resource. Theyre a wonder of nature. Just because theyre here now, here at the Bronx Zoo when you come here doesnt mean youre gonna see them tomorrow. We need to conserve these species and protect the wild areas where they live."Kira and her team of keepers introduces us to a few headliners. Make sure to watch the video.
Go on a 'Wild Encounter' at the Bronx Zoo
While any trip to the zoo is bound to be enriching and educational, the Bronx Zoo is taking the experience to the next level with its "Wild Encounters" program.Supervisor Kira Babuska helps bring visitors and animals face-to-face. She calls "Wild Encounters "a special experience that you can add to your day at the zoo.You can walk into a room and be able to hear an animal purr or you can look at one right in the eye."They will come into this room sometimes and smell your shoes to see if you have any pets at home."The close connections bring out the animals true personality.Zoo director Jim Breheny hopes the encounters remind guests not to take wildlife for granted.He says: "We want the takeaway to be that these animals are a resource. Theyre a wonder of nature. Just because theyre here now, here at the Bronx Zoo when you come here doesnt mean youre gonna see them tomorrow. We need to conserve these species and protect the wild areas where they live."Kira and her team of keepers introduces us to a few headliners. Make sure to watch the video.
That new car look: Vinyl wrapping transforms customization business
Car wrapping has grown into a multibillion-dollar industry trend over the last decade or so.Vinyl wraps are now used for things like paint protection, advertising or simply customizing your car with a look like no other. The flawless fit can give any vehicle a bumper-to-bumper transformation.Phenomenal vinyl on Long Island is leading the way in the ever-expanding market. Services range from minor detailing to complete vehicle wraps.Owner Mark Friedman says every idea is a possibility."It doesnt matter how bizarre or outrageous some of the concepts are. The vision can include an array of colors, decals, graphics, images they want to see on their vehicles. We can print on the vinyl really anything and everything they could ever want," according to Friedman.The shop uses a digital configurator to help designers and customers experiment, simulate custom looks and visualize the final product before physically applying the wrap.The application process is especially methodical. Wrap Envy Academy lead trainer Matthew Wolynski says, "You have to hone your skills and you have to have a lot of patience."
Adventureland on Long Island celebrates 62 years of family fun
The mom-and-pop amusement park is a staple of American suburban life, a connection to cherished memories and an incubator of new ones, a place where the biggest ride is the feeling of nostalgia you get there.Adventureland in East Farmingdale, New York, is celebrating its 62nd anniversary this summer, and while much of Long Island has changed around it, the park is still its comforting familiar self, even as it, too, has grown along with the community that loves it so.The feeling is mutual."Long Island, we love being here, we love being part of your family memories," said Jeanine Gentile, the...
Black People Outside: Nature influencers encouraging Black Chicagoans to explore the outdoors
A Chicago couple are the thrill-seeking faces behind the social media presence, Black People Outside. The dynamic duo travel to different nature and thrill spots across the city and the country."We're Black People Outside, because we're Black and we be outside!" Kameron Stanton and Chevy Linear said.From hiking to mountain biking, to river rafting, Stanton and Linear do it all. Their main goal is to encourage people to get outside and explore.While forming a relationship during the COVID pandemic, Stanton and Linear decided to take a trip out to Grand Teton National Park. While traveling, they thought it would be...
Church's unique jewelry supports disaster relief
Hurricane Ike caused widespread damage in 2008, including the destruction of a 104-year-old Tiffany stained-glass window at Trinity Episcopal Church."The shattered glass was just all over the floor of the church and so during the cleanup right after Ike, folks just came in and put it in big buckets," Reverend Jimmy Abbott said.Those buckets of glass were put into storage and were forgotten until now.Karla Mock is a jewelry designer and owner of Mock and More Gallery in Galveston. The church reached out to her to create unique jewelry pieces with the shards of glass."This is the first time that I have worked with glass as a material," Mock Said. "I'm not cutting the glass, I'm using it as it broke."You can purchase the jewelry at her gallery or at the church. A portion of the proceeds go the church's revived Phoenix Project, which raises funds to support communities hit by disasters.Click the video above to see the story.
Church's unique jewelry supports disaster relief
Hurricane Ike caused widespread damage in 2008, including the destruction of a 104-year-old Tiffany stained-glass window at Trinity Episcopal Church."The shattered glass was just all over the floor of the church and so during the cleanup right after Ike, folks just came in and put it in big buckets," Reverend Jimmy Abbott said.Those buckets of glass were put into storage and were forgotten until now.Karla Mock is a jewelry designer and owner of Mock and More Gallery in Galveston. The church reached out to her to create unique jewelry pieces with the shards of glass."This is the first time that I have worked with glass as a material," Mock Said. "I'm not cutting the glass, I'm using it as it broke."You can purchase the jewelry at her gallery or at the church. A portion of the proceeds go the church's revived Phoenix Project, which raises funds to support communities hit by disasters.Click the video above to see the story.
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