Bronx Box: Six Individuals, Two Common Interests, One Space
Written by Decota Letman / Photos by Dondre Green
Six chefs, all Bronx based, recently joined forces and all for a good cause, promoting healthier lifestyles within our community. Rebecca Scott of Sustainable Snacks, Linda Kim of Pulse Foods, Tito Dudley of Simple Eats, George Carney of Poor Man's Kitchen, John Crotty of Bronx Hot Sauce, and Dan Hildebrandt of Uptown Roasters together created Bronx Box, a box of various artisanal snacks that are all prepared and sold out of our borough. Founded by Rebecca Scott, it was her passion for helping others live a healthier and more natural life that inspired her to launch the Bronx Box initiative.
Originally from New Hampshire and a recent local resident of Guyana, Rebecca made the life transition in 2013 when she accepted a position at WIC, a special supplemental nutrition program for women, infant, and children, in the Bronx, managing their social media page. It was also around this time she rented a spot in WHEDco’s Bronx Cook Space to begin making Sustainable Snacks. Bronx Cook Space is a commercial kitchen located near the Grand Concourse section of the Bronx as part of WHEDco, a Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation that promotes healthier and vibrant communities.They officially launched in 2010, after acting as a food service program for the community they decided to open the space for chefs, caterers, and cooks who were all Bronx based.
In the years to come, Rebecca would build lifelong relationships and friendships with her current partners on the Bronx Box initiative. Each collaborator on this project fully functions and operates out of the Bronx Cook Space.“It's great to be able to share a kitchen space in the Bronx with health and fitness individuals and to collaborate on projects like this,” says Linda Kim of Pulse Foods. John Crotty of Bronx Hot Sauce shares a similar sentiment, “The Bronx Hot Sauce creates an opportunity for people to experience some of the greatness of the borough while directly supporting the communities cultivating this unique flavor.”
But it was personal trials and tribulations that really formed the heart of Bronx Box. “Being a cancer survivor has inspired me to pursue fitness, nutrition, and the culinary world by becoming a chef. I thought this was a great opportunity to spread the awareness about health in a borough that is often overlooked,” mentions Tito Dudley of Simple Eats. Founder Rebecca Scott’s auto-immune condition also pushed her to live a healthier lifestyle, change her diet, and start to do yoga. After she realized this lifestyle change made a huge difference in her overall health, she was inspired to relocate and help others live healthier lives without the pressure of taking prescription medication.
“There’s such a sense of community that you don’t necessarily get in the other parts of New York City,” Scott says. Partners like Dan Hildebrandt explained “Our fledgling specialty coffee company, Uptown Roasters, is proud of our roots. We’re inspired by the history, culture, fellow craftsmen, and the edginess of the Bronx borough.”
Other partners like George Carney of Poor Man’s Kitchen have a more personal relationship with the Bronx as his ancestry stems right from our backyard, “I decided to personalize my product by incorporating elements from my family’s traditions and history. The name ‘Poor Man’ stems from a translation of my mother’s maiden name, Poveromo, and all of the photos on the label are of my family, mainly my grandparents, growing up in the Bronx. The project pays homage to my past while looking towards the future.”
Each of these individuals share a personal story with the Bronx and with the space. Their love for healthier foods and the borough brought them together to create this box in which each of their snacks were included based on Valentine’s Day themes created by Rebecca.
There are three types of snack boxes that host a different theme to align with Valentine’s Day, Warm Your Heart, Healthy Heart Box, and Burn Baby Burn. In the Warm Your Heart box you will find a south bronx coffee blend from Uptown Roasters and a cinnamon simple syrup from Poor Man’s Kitchen.
In the Healthy Heart Box, which is closely tied in with February’s National Heart Health Month, you will find a Dark Chocolate Nut Granola from Simple Eats, a vegan dark chocolate from Pulse Foods, and cranberry and blueberry morsels from Sustainable Snacks. Last but not least, the Burn Baby Burn box will include spicy flavors including Bronx crafted hot sauce from Bronx Hot Sauce, spicy lemon zest roasted chickpeas by Pulse Foods, and smoky maple pecans, as well as, spicy cherry morsels from Sustainable Snacks.
The Bronx Box is currently available for purchase on Farm to People and they will continue to sell the products on a monthly basis as a different theme will be provided but Rebecca hopes to expand the concept of Bronx Box in which it will be made available in storefronts all over the Bronx. Each logo was handcrafted and designed by Katherine Hill.
Love and togetherness is definitely in the air so check out the Bronx Box online or feel free to contact any of the collaborators for more details.
Feel free to visit more of the programs and initiatives offered by WHEDco online at http://www.whedco.org
James Scott: Forest King
Q+A by Kayla Smith / Photos by Dondre Green
In a studio off of 167th Street, the sounds from passing trains reminded us of the bustling world outside but soon we would be introduced to a new world, a pink one. Dondre, Hoay and I sat with singer songwriter James Scott and listened to a few tracks from his upcoming album Forest. He was born Edwin Arzú but created his moniker by adopting “James” from his alma mater James Monroe High School and “Scott” from the rapper Scott Mescudi (better known as Kid Cudi). The West Farms native, with roots in Honduras, has been working on this new album. He also performs in the music collective The Nobodies, which he describes as a group of guys who want to become “somebody from nobody.” James shared much insight on his album as we took turns inquiring about his current social media aesthetic, what it means for him to be true to himself as an artist, and his affinity with the color pink.
There aren't a lot of pictures of you on Instagram, is that on purpose?
I’m at a place where I'd rather be about the music and the art every time. When you come to performances, you'll see me. With whatever I do, I'm always the supporting character. That's the same way I treat my Instagram or any social media handle except for Twitter. I'm a jokester so Twitter is for cracking jokes or putting up a meme.
“From that day I thought if I could make all these people happy in this moment, laugh and go home with it, then I want to do this forever.”
Did you create the aesthetic on Instagram yourself?
I had an idea to bring people into the pink world of mine. What I did was start off with a pink background. I hit up my best friend Neville and said I want to take this to a grander scale. I wanted to make a Bob Marley collage, he sent it within a matter of days and it was sick. From there we started putting together the artwork for the Bronx Museum performance and it became what it is now.
What's the significance of pink, what is your “pink world”?
Pink, to me, is like a fresh start. It's the idea of starting again. My project Forest is the beginning of me again.
How does that project link back to introducing you again?
I did a video a while ago called Home. In it, I wake up on the beach and the next shot is me walking into the forest. One day I watched the video and it meant something to me, from that day, I always go back [to the forest]. It's a place to vent, walk around, and get my mind straight. I decided to name the project Forest because that’s where I go to be me. The project is me 100%. Me being as honest as I can be, that's how it all fits together. I also like abstract art so I wanted to make sure that I tied everything in. My best friend, Francesca, passed last year and things got a little more crazy. It was more abstract than anything because I didn’t understand death. I still don't understand death. Forest became more of a life experience than just songs. A lot of the songs I recorded were before she passed away. Listening to them after was like “this is why I wrote this, this is why I called her Cloud Princess.” I kind of vented and had this home already made from me when she passed away.
Have you ever felt like or do you ever feel like you want to forget music and pursue something else? Was there anything else that you wanted to pursue before music?
When I was younger I wanted to do computer programming, but that was just a small dot in this timeframe. One day I woke up and I wanted to do music. Honestly I just wake up every day and think, “what do I have to do to make this happen?”
“When you know who you are that’s just how it is. For me to try to skip out makes no sense because I feel like I’m cheating myself. ”
What is your musical background?
I have no musical background, the only time I did something that made me feel like “yo, I want to do this for the rest of my life,” was when I was in 5th grade. We had a Black History Month performance and my after school counselor asked me if I wanted to do it. I had to do this James Brown piece and I killed it.
From that day I thought if I could make all these people happy in this moment, laugh and go home with it, then I want to do this forever.
How long have you been making music?
I would say from 2007-2008, which was my sophomore year in high school.
How has your music style transformed from then until now?
In the beginning I want to say I reflected who I was in the sense that I wanted to do whatever people liked because I wanted to be liked at the moment. In school I was not the popular kid, I was funny. When I started taking music seriously everyone was like "Oh this funny guy is trying to be serious." But I went to school, went home, went to the studio, and left at like 5 o'clock in the morning. I was writing songs for this producer name Yala. The songs I wrote for him were the way he wanted them. After I stopped, I still had that mind state. I continued to make these “poppy” sounds. I would ask, “What's on the Billboard 100?” But my music now, it’s what I like and how I feel. Before I would write everything out. Now I freestyle.
How much of your songs would you say you freestyle?
I want to say 75%. I’ll write some ideas but a lot of ideas I freestyle.
You basically have a skeleton of what you want it to be about or what you want to say?
Yes, I have a song called “Solitude Flower;” I started off freestyling. I tried to go home and write down the second verse and it wasn’t working. I had to come back and live that moment. I feel like the vibe was still in the air from that night so I came back and made the song. The second verse came out and it just fit.
Who are your inspirations?
I think anyone would say Michael Jackson, then Kanye West and Kid Cudi. Every time Kanye comes out it's something different. Cudi, off the bat was just different and Michael had that vision. Those are the perfect examples for me.
What's your favorite Michael Jackson song?
It's off the Free Willy soundtrack, “Will You Be There.”
What's your favorite James Scott song and why?
I would have to say “Last Year.” At that time I came back from California and I was in a different place. My girlfriend just broke up with me and we’d been together for so long, I was tight. I came to the studio and that was one of the first times I started freestyling. Whatever I felt came out. “Last Year” was my example song it was exactly how I wanted to do my music. I did it exactly how I had in mind. That's why I love that song.
When are you going to release Forest?
I'm trying to release Forest March 6th. It's the day my best friend passed away; this album is basically about her.
Scott plays a few tracks from the album.
This song is called “The Rain.” My best friend liked the rain so I thought why not write a song about it. It’s produced by my friend Brandon from Toronto. I can show you the artwork (for the song). I was on Tumblr one day and I found this painter named Philip Maltman, he's from Scotland. I sent him my music and I said I love your art, here are some songs of mine, and hopefully I can use your art. He hit me back like an hour later and said, “I love your stuff, use anything you want to and whenever I have something new I'll contact you.”
Each song has a different piece of art?
Yeah, the album cover looks like a treehouse.
He shows us the cover.
Have you ever created a song based off of artwork?
Not yet, and I want to go there. But with making music you have this painting in your mind sometimes and you want to paint that. It's not a physical painting.
How long does it take you to pair the artwork and music?
Usually it's pretty fast, I look at the art and know which song it is. Then I get the artwork to Neville and he puts it on the pink [background].
That's displayed in the music too?
The project goes by chapters, and there are three chapters. The project goes from a lighter shade of pink to a darker shade of pink. If you go on my SoundCloud you can see what the emotion is for that chapter. The darker it gets, the darker my thoughts are. The chapters are “Moon After Yule” which is my and Francesca's birthday month, “Lunar Solstice,” that chapter goes off lunar solstice when the nights feel longer than the days. Those songs have that feeling. The last chapter is called “Spring Equinox” because that's when I thought I was going to finish this project. I thought I'd finish in September. Spring equinox is when spring starts, I started that chapter with “Solitude Flower” and that’s like the blossoming song.
Your album moves from a lighter shade of pink to a darker shade of pink, but the last chapter is called “Spring Equinox.” “Spring Equinox” and *“Rainbow” don't sound heavy.
Exactly! This whole project is basically a dream sequence. You go from a lighter sleep to a darker sleep, “Rainbow” is that song at the end of your sleep when you know you're about to wake up. It’s the quiet after the storm, it starts off with this cloudy type of sound. “Nightrage” is the darkest tone but I had to wake up at some time because at the end of the day you don't want to end nothing on a bad note you want to end everything on a good note that's why “Rainbow” is there. “Rainbow,” to me, is the ending of the project.
“I want to say that I’ve finally come to a point in my life where I want to see people happy. You just gotta spread positive energy. ”
The bonus track is very bright which is why it’s the bonus track. I didn't want to add on to the story. You know when you watch a Disney movie with the happy ever after? Not in my house!
You seem to be very visually driven with Instagram and the album artwork, how much of the visuals do you incorporate in your performances?
I just started. Brian (founder of The Nobodies) knows how to edit videos, he does everything, he's like a guru, so we just did a video one day. We performed at a rooftop show in Harlem called The Secret Show and we had our projections. People were saying they got lost within the projections and that's exactly what we wanted. We wanted them to be as involved as they could.
Has the Bronx influence your music?
You know, it's always interesting to me when people say, “it sounds like you guys are not from the Bronx.” What does the Bronx sound like? Everyone has the perception of what an area sounds like. When you think about the Bronx, people automatically say it's grungy but the music doesn’t really represent that because everyone is different. When I was growing up, I was watching Disney but when Brian was listening to rap songs. I really wasn't about that life, I was listening to rock songs. Do you expect a Bronx kid to do that? What is a Bronx kid, what is a Bronx person?
Any tours or shows down the line?
When tours happen everyone’s going to know. That’s the part that drives me, ever since the [James Brown] performance. I live for performance, it's a super duper high.
Where do you see James Scott. Where do you want to see James Scott?
Whenever I think about my music, I always think bigger than myself. It's easy to think about what I can do next, but to think about what you can do in the future and actually accomplish those goals is something I look forward to doing. I definitely want to be an influential person. I want to at least drive people to listen to music differently, experience music differently, or even make music differently.
Listen to more of James Scott's music here and follow him on Twitter and Instagram.
Mon Amour: My Love for Coffee and Wine
Written by Decota Letman / Photos by Dondre Green
Very often, we dream of making a change. Or even just stepping out of our comfort zones. But how many of us can actually say we have put aside our fears and took a leap of faith, not knowing what the future may hold?
Ramessis Aponte is someone who can attest to the power of doing so.
A Washington Heights native whose love for the food and beverage industry bypassed her career as a psychologist, Ramessis made a major change in her life in 2009 when she decided to leave the psychology field to pursue her dreams of owning her own business and opening a restaurant. In the years to come, Ramessis would begin saving for what would be her lifelong passion and soon watched all of her dreams come to fruition. Mon Amour Coffee and Wine, a French inspired coffee shop, launched its opening two months ago in the Riverdale/Kingsbridge area of the Bronx.
Located at 234 West 238th Street, Mon Amour is surrounded by blooming businesses including Edible Arrangements, BJs, and Bronx AleHouse amongst others. “There are no other coffee shops here. We wanted something different, something practical. You’ll find Spanish restaurants and bars, but no coffee shop. Nowhere for our locals to come and unwind after a long day of work,” Ramessis explains. And this is true, as the recently opened coffee shop has already gained an array of loyal customers, including a young girl who yelped at the idea of going to a French inspired coffee shop, so much so that she wore a red beret to fall in line with the theme of Mon Amour. As Dondre and I enjoyed apple cider and lattes, we also couldn’t help but notice the vast number of customers that frequented the shop on a Wednesday evening.
Ramessis shared with us the story of how Mon Amour came to be and some of their future plans for the shop. Ownership is shared by Ramessis, her husband (Ernies Alemais), and their business partner Jeff Garcia.
Jeff, who has been childhood best friends with Ernies since attending John F. Kennedy High School together, already owned the space. However, it was not until Ramessis proposed the idea of turning the space into a coffee shop that they began the blueprint for what is now a special rarity in the Bronx.
The inspiration behind the shop was people’s love for coffee and wine, along with wanting to bring something that hasn’t been exposed in the neighborhood. When asked what “Mon Amour” stood for, Ramessis said, “people love coffee and people love wine, so ‘my love for coffee and wine.’” She emphasized she felt there were not a lot of places where people can unwind and feel at home without having to head all the way to the city or dealing with the hustle and bustle at bars. “The idea of pairing coffee and wine caters to your morning people and your evening people,” she added.
To stand true to its name, the ambiance was immediately felt upon entry with brick covered walls, the sound of soft music filling the intimate space, and the smell of pastries filling your nostrils. The bright lighting and couch like seating made the shop feel very homey, not to mention a slight division where one half of the shop resembled a living room and the other half a kitchen. Our server wore a black and white pinstriped shirt, with a red necktie, in true Parisian spirit. For a brief moment, we left Kingsbridge and arrived at Rue de la Rouquette.
Some of the Pastries include an assortment of macaroons, cookies, muffins, and my personal favorite: the almond croissant (ask them to warm it up!). If you’re craving something heartier, they also offer grilled Paninis and various sandwiches. As a drink, I opted for the warm apple cider, which was nice and hot but not overly sweet. Dondre went with the Vanilla Latte (a personal favorite of his). For all of my wine lovers, the shop will begin serving an array of red and white wines in the coming weeks, so by the time you make your way there it should soon be ready for serving. To top it off, the service was impeccable as they treated us with the same attention one would receive if we were in a four star restaurant. The minor details, such as stopping by our table to bring extra Nutella or checking to see if our drinks were to our liking, really stood out to me. For a coffee shop, they sure knew how to make their customers feel warm, welcomed, and extra special.
When speaking of their future plans for the shop, Ramessis explained they would ultimately like to partner with distributors who have fresh farms. She made it clear that although her experience in the food and beverage industry is extensive, it is still a learning process for her and her partners. Ideally, they would like to expand the space and transition it into a full-blown restaurant. But for now, they are enjoying the fruits of their labor. They are grateful for the fact they are able to share such a positive endeavor in their neighborhood. She concluded by saying, “We wanted to start a trend and show people you don’t have to be afraid of investing money in your own community and in the Bronx.”
Way to go Ramessis, Ernies, Jeff, and the entire family at Mon Amour! We fully support your endeavors and enjoyed our time spent at Mon Amour. This is only the beginning of a budding relationship.
Coda’s Corner – 5 out of 5 stars especially for service and hospitality but primarily for the vision. Ramessis’ story serves as an inspiration to all those who have a dream and want to fulfill it but are afraid of taking a leap of faith.
Mon Amour Coffee & Wine is located at 234 W 238th st, Bronx NY, 10463.
“A ship is always safe at the shore - but that is NOT what it is built for.” - Albert Einstein
Valentine-Varian House
Written by Layza Garcia / Photos by Dondre Green
I remember a day. I can’t recall whether it was fall or spring, but I remember it was a beautiful sunny day — the perfect weather to play in. I was on a class field trip and all I kept thinking was, “When are we going to go to the park?”
I was probably in the third or fourth grade and didn’t comprehend the importance of history. Certainly not of the old house we were standing in. I wasn’t aware that it was the second oldest house in the Bronx. A house that was part of one of the greatest wars in American history — the Valentine-Varian House.
According to the Historic House Trust, Valentine-Varian House was built in 1758 and was the last of the farmhouses along the original Boston Post Road, now Van Courtlandt Avenue East. Isaac Valentine, a blacksmith and farmer from Yonkers, built the two-story, 18th century Georgian house out of the native stone on his land. Its prime location gave Valentine access to crop markets in New York, and with plenty of business as a blacksmith as carts and carriages constantly passed his door on their way to King’s Bridge and Manhattan.
The house faced a number of challenges due to the American Revolutionary War. According to my Bronx bible — Lloyd Ultan and Shelley Olson’s The Bronx: The Ultimate Guide to New York City’s Beautiful Borough — the house has seen some important faces during this tumultuous time. Paul Revere, engraver, early industrialist, and one of the most famous Patriot soldiers in the war, often passed by the house with letters from the Massachusetts Committee of Correspondence to the Patriots in New York City. One of our founding fathers, George Washington, who was the newly appointed general in 1775, passed by the house on his way to Boston to take command of the troops besieging the British. The book also explains that the house was taken over in the Fall of 1776 by the British Army, German Hessian mercenaries, and Tories (Americans fighting for the British). Also, the head of the French Army, Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur (or Comte de Rochambeau) and his soldiers also encamped in the farmhouse in July of 1781. The house was in the middle of six battles. And, through all of this, Valentine remained in the house.
After the war in 1789, John Adams visited the house en route to New York City to be inaugurated as the nation’s first vice president. President George Washington once again went by the house for a second time on his way to visit the New England states.
Due to the effects of the war, farmers in the area were faced with great hardships in repairing the wreckage of their homes and lands. Valentine was impoverished and in deep debt. According to the New York City Parks Department, he was forced to sell the property in 1972 to Isaac Varian, a butcher and farmer. The Varians kept the house for three generations. One of his grandsons, Isaac Leggett Varian, served as mayor of New York City from 1839 to 1841. Due to increasing urbanization, rising property values, and real estate taxes, it was no longer profitable to operate a farm in the area by 1905. The house had to be sold again and was passed through another family ownership before being donated it to the Bronx County Historical Society in 1965.
The house was then moved diagonally on Bainbridge Avenue, between Van Courtlandt Avenue East and 208th Street, from its original location. The move took two days. The house retains the original floorboards, hand-forged nails, and homemade mortar. There’s one room that displays a section of the interior wall structure protected by glass. The house operates as the Museum of Bronx History.
The Valentine-Varian House is a true window of how people lived during the colonial period. But more importantly, it is a symbol of how the Bronx played a role in one of the important wars that formed our great nation. As a Norwood resident of over 20 years, I am proud to see this house in my borough.
According to The Bronx County Historical Society, William F. Beller, an official in the New York Customs House, acquired the house in 1905 and his son William C. Beller donated it to the Bronx County Historical Society in 1965. With Beller’s financial help, the house was then moved diagonally on Bainbridge Avenue, between Van Courtlandt Avenue East and 208th Street, from its original location. The house retains the original floorboards, hand-forged nails, and homemade mortar. There’s one room that displays a section of the interior wall structure protected by glass. The house now operates as the Museum of Bronx History.
Visitors will notice a stone statue known as The Bronx River Solider, located on the north lawn. Lloyd and Olson state that after the Civil War, John Grignola was hired to carve a statue of a Civil War soldier for the Oliver Tilden Post of the Grand Army of the Republic to mark the dead that were being buried in Woodlawn Cemetery. It was rejected by the GAR post because it was marred by a chip. Grignola then gifted the statue to John B. Lazzeri, an official at Woodlawn Cemetery. In 1898, it was placed on a granite pier in the Bronx River behind his house south of Gun Hill Road. Over six decades, the L-bolts that were holding the statue in place began to loosen and the statue fell over in the Bronx River. The Bronx County Historical Society found the statue after The New York City Parks Department stored it in a warehouse. Arrangements were made to restore the statue and place it on the lawn of the Valentine-Varian House for safekeeping.
The house is a true window of how people lived during the colonial period but more importantly how the Bronx played a role in one of the important wars that formed our great nation. As a Norwood resident of over 20 years, I am proud to see this house as I walk home.
The Valentine-Varian House also known as the Museum of Bronx History is located at 3266 Bainbridge Avenue in the Bronx, NY. It costs $5 for adults, and $3 for students, children, or seniors. For more information, please visit The Bronx County Historical Society.
Neighborhood Tales (Episode 02): Mike Rich
Q+A by Dondre Green / Video by Kevin De Los Santos
We return with Episode 02 of Neighborhood Tales featuring Co-op City resident, Mike Rich.
Neighborhood Tales: A new editorial series that'll highlight the diversity of Bronx neighborhoods and help provide a visual identity, with stories told by the people who live there.
Bronx Narratives Celebrates One Year Anniversary
Written by Maryam Mohammed / Photos by Jack Sommer
Turning one year old is a big deal. Especially for organizations. Whether they are nonprofits or businesses, fulfilling one year of service is a feat. On December 6th, 2015, Bronx Narratives did just that.
To commemorate the anniversary, Bronx Narratives hosted a 3-hour event which highlighted local singers, actors, and business owners. The beautiful space at the Bronx Museum was filled with over one-hundred Bronx creatives, all gathered together for the love of the Bronx and the idea that telling Bronxites stories is important.
The event began with an introduction to those unfamiliar with the premise of Bronx Narratives. Dondre, the Founder, opened the event with a heartening forward of why Bronx Narratives was important for him not only to initiate, but sustain. He mentioned how like many young creatives, he spent most of his social time in popular neighborhoods such as Brooklyn. He wondered why he had to go so far out of his borough to have fun. During one of his nights out, he met up with fellow Bronx Narratives team member, Decota Letman who expressed similar sentiments during a long cab ride home to the Bronx from Williamsburg. Over time, they brainstormed on how to breathe life back into a seeming dead social atmosphere in the Bronx and generated a team of other Bronx creatives who were similarly committed to growing the love for the Bronx. Thus Bronx Narratives was born.
Throughout the night, there were several performances. We were serenaded by Sal, the owner of the authentic Italian eatery Pugsley’s pizza. Sal, who has been in business in the Bronx for over 20 years, is also a professional saxophone player. We also heard from Chike, a native Bronxite and vocalist who sang a classic R&B song and a original piece. Kayla, who is Bronx Narratives team member, performed one of her original pieces, Bronx Living - which was an ode to the borough.
The event also featured several videos which included a new episode of Neighborhood Tales featuring Co-op City resident, Mike Rich, it shot by team member, Kevin De Los Santos. Following this, our new short-film, "A Weekend Uptown" was debuted. The film featured Bronx native, Justin White and was directed by Dondre Green and filmed by Kevin De Los Santos.
The evening ended with a question and answer portion. Attendees were given the opportunity to ask the Bronx Narratives team about our longevity and expansion. We also talked important current issues such as education and gentrification which led to a fruitful discussion. The floor was then opened for attendees to provide information for upcoming events and initiatives they had going on in the Bronx.
All in all, it was a fulfilling night, equipped with food and wine.
We at Bronx Narratives know that this is just the beginning. We appreciate those who joined us and look forward to our continuous success.
Thus, here’s to many more years to come.
Sweet Water Dance & Yoga
Q+A by Kayla Smith / Photos by Dondre Green
Yosara Trujillo - Founder and Director / Danny Soto - Artist in Residence
If I asked you to think of three words that described the Bronx, what would they be? By any chance, would ‘yoga’ be one of those words? Probably not, but if you make a trip to Gerard avenue and take a class or two at Sweet Water Dance and Yoga Studio, you may begin to consider adding it to your list. We sat down with Yosara, the Founder and Director of Sweet Water, to discuss yoga — everything from its healing qualities to how it can be embraced by the community.
Before the interview with Yosara, we had a few words from Danny:
What is your background and history with The Bronx?
I’m Dominican and a “Quarterican” (my grandmother was Puertorican on one side). I was born in The Village and raised in Washington Heights up until about the fourth grade. After that, my family moved to Yonkers for a short spell and then to Queens.
By that point, however, my mother had also owned a travel agency in the Bronx on Broadway and 225th for about 10 years. We moved to The Bronx in 1985 and we’ve been here ever since. My mother had another travel agency and insurance brokerage here on 167th Street between Grant and Sherman for 30 years.
“My whole life, we’ve been Bronx merchants.
There has not been a time that my family hasn’t had businesses in the Bronx.”
How did you get involved with yoga?
I had an aunt that told me about yoga. She took me to Interval Yoga on 13th Street in 1996. I remember that first day — it was amazing.
I was in a completely different state; my body reacted really powerfully to yoga. I stayed with it for a solid six years consistently. The changes in my life, decision making, stress levels, body, and how I cared for myself — it all changed. Yoga became something that was really necessary for me.
Because of it, I wanted to start dance classes as well. My body was alive and that’s what I want to share with folks. How good that felt.
When was the opening of Sweet Water?
September 14, 2014, was the first day of business. But we opened our doors on September 11th to commemorate the day. We had three free yoga classes and did peace ceremonies all day. That weekend we had free classes so that anyone could come and try everything out.
What is the significance of the name Sweet Water?
I’m of the Yuroba faith (religion originating from the Yuroba people found in Nigeria Benin and parts of West Africa). I’m a daughter of Oshun, goddess of the river. Sweet Water is river water and it is life giving. It was part of the inspiration for the décor. Once the (studio) design is completed, it’ll look more like a river. The conceptual inspiration for the space is movement and nothing moves more fluidly or naturally than water.
The inspiration flowing from that continued into my Yoruba sensibilities, and the personal connections with the Orishas that I’m connected to, is what lead to the to the selection of the colors. Obatala is the basic white; Oshun, Oya, and Ochosi are the gold, the orange, and the turquoise (respectively). It’s also conceptually very Oya/Oshun in that Oya is the dance and the heat, the fire and the spiciness and Oshun is the depth, maybe where yoga and meditation fits in just because she goes deeper. She’s about healing and nurturing and water all of those are very yoga-like concepts.
It’s interesting that your studio is for dance and yoga. The Bronx has a lot of dance studios, but we don’t really have a culture for yoga.
We don’t have a culture for yoga and that’s not by mistake. Westerners brought yoga to the West and commoditized it the way the West commoditizes everything. Yoga, up to now, has been the experience of the haves, not the have-nots. As usual, fitness and wellness are generally excluded — and so are our communities.
A part of the mission of this space is integrating yoga into the lifestyle of the people who, as far as I’m concerned, need it the most.
“How different would our communities be if we were all more centered? How much easier would it be to transcend poverty and the grasps of our heritage?”
We are never taught to take care of our body. What we’re told is, “Here is the food that is available to you and here are the medical services that are available to you. Have fun going between these two entities. Have fun going between poor diets, hospitals, and poor medical care — because that is what’s accessible to you economically.”
Prevention is never really discussed.
Not to us, but if you go into Health and Wellness Centers that do address prevention, none of them take insurance. They are all cash commodities. They are things that completely exclude anyone who is not utterly wealthy. Because honestly, even a middle class family would have trouble paying for these things. So this space wants to, and intends to, make this knowledge accessible. And it’s a tough sell because we are not used to spending money on these things. We’ve got bigger things to worry about like, “Are our environments safe? Do we have food, electricity, and basic utilities? How far ahead are we secure on these things?”
These are issues that are really important to me and bringing this lesson here is really challenging. But if you introduce it together with dance — if you introduce it as an exercise — they might come to it quicker. I have clients here who have been with us for the full year, who are now yogi’s and swear by it. It’s incredible how yoga has changed their lives.
Has the community been receptive to Sweet Water being here?
Absolutely, I get hugs on a daily basis from complete strangers in my neighborhood — simply because they are so appreciative to have a space like this. They never expected it.
I’ve been in the Bronx for thirty years of my life and we’re not used to having spaces like this. We’re not used to having spaces or services that are accessible in this way.
“There are services that I have that no studio in all of New York City has.”
For example, having a space for children and offering childcare to parents that want to take a class. My capacity for it is small but I do it. Sweet Water is a place in service of women, and this community is one of working women. And that is what has surprised me the most.
I honestly expected that the reason my business was going to survive, initially, was going to be because of the courthouse. You see court employees with their yoga mats going straight from work to a yoga place, or to the gym, and go home from there. I’m trying to access them so they can stop here and then continue their commute. I thought that was going to be easy and it has not been. The court makes their employees very difficult to market to so there’s no access to these people in terms of distributing information to them even if you’re trying to extend good stuff. So they have not come through. But who has come through are the mothers and women of this community. This house is full of neighborhood mamas, mothers of young children, grandmothers and families.
We’ve had a family yoga class that actually gets full families in here, families of color. Do you know what that feels like when I see families of color taking a family yoga class with their little babies? Very few spaces are as celebratory of the family as we are.
What other expectations have you had prior to opening that may have changed or confirmed since being here this year?
I thought the broader (arts) community would be much more engaged. In my younger years I was a poet and part of a large artist community. I thought they would be much more supportive, but we all have our realities. Because there has been an absence, for example, of dance studios. It’s been very difficult to entice those artists that I would like to feature the most, simply because I am a for profit business.
“I can’t rent out my room for ten dollars an hour and that cuts very deeply into their finances and what they can offer. And I’ve been really surprised by that because I swore this was going to be our house. I thought all of these people were going to be here, but that is not what’s happening and I understand why.”
It’ll take me developing this space until it’s completely commercially viable — which may take the next six months — and making sure that I can get the business to survive. Once we’re financially capable, I can pay them a flat fee or whatever their time is worth. I can afford to bring them in here and I can absorb that risk. It’s really just a balancing act.
Sweet Water’s mission is to inspire people of all walks of life regardless of size, shape, age, prior experience or goal, to move and enjoy their bodies and with the variety of classes they offer, I would say they’re well on their way to meet this goal.
For more information on Sweet Water Dance & Yoga, please visit their website: www.sweetwaterdanceandyoga.com
Located at 876 Gerard Ave, Bronx, NY 10452.
La Masa: The Perfect Love Story and Empanadas
Written by Decota Letman / Photos by Hector Santos
For Josh Montalvo, cooking is a family tradition. Inspired by his grandmother, he has always loved to cook. It was at home where he learned some of his most prized recipes and dishes as a child. As he grew older, he continued to take a piece of Colombia with him with his cooking and spirit.
Josh also met his wife, Laura Montalvo, through a matter related to family. When he was a real estate agent, Josh helped Laura invest in a home for her mom. They went their separate ways at the time, but fate couldn’t keep them apart for too long. Now, they are married with three children. In 2013, a friend approached Josh about purchasing a space in Morris Park that had been on the market, he did not hesitate. He purchased the space and there La Masa was born.
Keeping tradition, Josh wanted to bring something to the Bronx that was not heavily exposed, a piece of Colombian culture. Laura realizing how important this dream was to him, decided to resign from teaching to fully commit to opening the restaurant. For eight months, the two of them put all of their energy into the restaurant, keeping it closed on Sundays to continue their Family Days. They handled the meal prep, the service, and all managerial duties.
La Masa, literally meaning "the dough," has been opened for a little over a year now. Everything on the menu is of homemade recipes and are prepared fresh each day.
I had to try it out for myself. As a first timer, I opted for the Maduro Relleno (with a little practice, my pronunciation is now down pact!). The Maduro Relleno is a whole sweet plantain sliced in half and topped with meat and cheese. It was seasoned to perfection and my choice of the shredded beef was marinated just the right way. Not to over exaggerate, but it felt like a piece of heaven in my mouth. The idea of mixing a sweet dish with cheese was very foreign to me, but I realized it was a norm in Colombian culture — and I was happy to be exposed to it.
One of their more popular dishes are, of course, the empanadas. With over twenty flavors, you can get an empanada with everything from the norm (chicken and beef) to the unusual (cream cheese and jelly). Laura brought out an array of flavors for us to try and sample, including their cheeseburger option. My personal favorite was the guava and cheese, another very popular dish in Colombian culture, where two unique tastes are combined.
A cozy and refined spot, with natural lighting and minimal decor, La Masa comfortably seats as many as 12 - 15 people. Josh has hopes of expanding the restaurant into something more of a franchise. "I want La Masa’s all over, just like there are McDonalds everywhere," he says energetically.
With the love and support from his wife and family, anything is possible.
Coda's Corner - 4.2 out of 5 for service, food, and minimal (but bright and catchy) decor.
(Disclaimer - I do hope the restaurant can expand to seat more people in the near future, but overall great atmosphere and awesome food!)
La Masa is located at 1000 Morris Park Avenue.
To view their full menu and find further information, please visit their website: www.lamasa.us
Who Runs The World? B-Girls Take Back Hip Hop at The Bronx Museum
Written by Maryam Mohammed / Photos by Dondre Green
We tend to associate hip hop with contemporary artist such as Drake, Young Thug, and Kanye West. By this point, hip hop has undoubtedly engrained itself in every facet of society, including everything from clothes to slang, so much so, that it can become difficult to identify its origin. It's even harder to celebrate the true meaning of hip hop and what it meant to the culture's pioneers.
But those from The Bronx know.
Hip hop emerged out of the South Bronx in the late 70’s. It gained popularity with its diverse lyrics, dance moves, and attitude. It was a creative way to see through its practitioners' often heavy adversities. At its root, hip hop was — and still is today — a way to tell stories. Many of these narratives were told through dance. Breakdancing was one of the most notable. The term breakdancing describes the style of dance where performers would dance to the break of a song's beat.
The dance style, which became less popular in mainstream media, is being celebrated by women in The Bronx today and being used take back ownership of hip hop.
Earlier this month, I attended the First Fridays! All the Ladies Say Underground Hip Hop Anniversary event at the Bronx Museum. The event was hosted by world famous “B-Girl," Ana “Rokafella" Garcia, to celebrate the anniversary of her film All the Ladies Say. The film follows the lives of six veteran b-girls from all over the country. It highlights the contributions of female break dancers to hip hop while challenging the one dimensional "video vixen" notion.
Garcia was crowned the nickname Rokafella because she would literally “rock the fellas” on the dance floor, showing them up just as much as she did her fellow ladies. Garcia eventually took a trip to Europe with fellow dancer Kwikstep and it is there she realized her passion for breakdancing. Through her newfound passion, she was able to travel the world and perform with artists such as Fabolous, Janet Jackson, KRS One, LL Cool J and Will Smith.
As a woman a part of a male dominated industry, Garcia knew the influence she had and it was this influence she used to empower other young women. I had the opportunity to chat with her a bit further and through our conversation I realized dancing was the outlet that changed her life.
Today, Garcia teaches breakdancing classes to inner city youth at community centers and dance studios, all across New York.
I asked Garcia how she feels Bronxites can use hip hop to empower and uplift themselves. She said "they have to hold on to it, hold on to their roots." She explained that in The Bronx, she sees a special type of comradery. Though this is a borough of immigrants, where the differences outweigh the similarities, everyone seems to have an “we are all in this together” approach. Learning about how much hip hop has contributed to the borough’s history is a way she thinks residents can unite, and thrive together, even more.
On this night, she was right. The event brought people from all cultures and age groups. All in the name of hip hop. Even though the city was in the midst of a hurricane Joaquin, that did not stop attendees from enjoying the event. Attendees even came from Japan and Croatia, as well as boroughs across the city including Brooklyn and Staten Island. There were over a hundred people in attendance who wanted to celebrate the culture’s origins. Both children and senior citizens alike, enjoying good music, good vibes, and good company. It was truly a beautiful sight. The event featured live music, painting, and a ceremonial B-girl dance-off.
Bilal, a Brooklyn native, said he was a fan of Momma’s Hip Hop Kitchen and tries to attend all of their events. Throughout our conversation, he kept mentioning that hip hop is a dominant culture, and he’s glad that it is being celebrated in The Bronx. The only thing that keeps him away from the borough is the distance (sometimes the cross-city trip can seem, to some, as far away as Japan).
Lisa, a resident of Bedford Park, mentioned she was completely inspired by the events premise. The all-female show made her feel empowered. She always wanted to be a B-girl and she admired Garcia’s career.
The event united the borough, shed light on The Bronx being an originator in today’s hip hop society, and empowered other women. Lisa wasn’t surprised that an event like this was happening, but she stressed a point that seemed to be the general consensus amongst those in attendance. “We need to keep events like this happening (in The Bronx). It will inspire the people who live here.”
The Edgar Allan Poe Cottage
Written by Layza Garcia / Photos by Dondre Green
Growing up, I always wondered about the white little cottage on Kingsbridge Road. It seemed very odd to me—, almost out of place. Such a small, peaceful looking house surrounded by the loud main road, and huge buildings. “Who lives there?” I would ask my mother as we rode past it on the bus on our way to Fordham Road. It wasn’t until my freshman year in college, while taking a writing class on detective and mystery fiction, that I learned who actually lived there. It was one of America’s greatest authors and poets, Edgar Allan Poe. He had once lived in our beloved borough of—The Bronx.
For the first historical piece on Bronx Narratives, and being that we are in the month of October, it only felt right that we start off with Poe (who was otherwise known as The “Master of the Macabre”) and his stay at the cottage. The Edgar Allan Poe Cottage was built in 1812 and owned by John Valentine, according to Lloyd Ultan and Shelley Olson’s The Bronx: The Ultimate to New York City’s Beautiful Borough
The cottage originally stood on Kingsbridge Road, east of Valentine Avenue, which was formerly known as Fordham Village. Poe, along with his young, ailing wife Virginia Clemm (who was also his cousin), and mother-in-law Maria (who was also his aunt), rented the cottage for $5 rent per month or $100 per year. Ultan and Olson state that he moved his family in the summer of 1846 in the hopes that the fresh county air would improve his wife’s condition who was struggling with tuberculosis.
The two-story cottage is quite small and simple. The first floor has a sitting room, bedroom, and kitchen. The second floor has another bedroom and study room. There is no heating or bathroom. However, even with the minimal furnishings, the family loved their time there. Besides taking care of his wife, Poe wrote some of his most celebrated poems in the house — including, “Annabel Lee” and “Ulalume.” According to Jimmy Stamp’s “When Edgar Allan Poe Needed to Get Away, He Went to the Bronx,” the house most likely also inspired Poe’s final short story, “Landor’s Cottage.”
The country life was going well for Poe until January 30th, 1847, when Virginia succumbed to her illness and died in the cottage’s first floor bedroom. Poe stayed in the cottage until his mysterious death in 1849 when he left on a lecture tour to raise money. He wanted to start a new literary magazine in Baltimore, Maryland.
It is uncertain on the immediate use of the cottage once the Poe family left. However, the cottage was in complete disrepair. In 1889, William Fearing Gill bought the cottage for $775 at an auction in the first step of preservation after the Parks Department considered it too expensive to restore. In 1895, the New York Shakespeare Society purchased the cottage for use as a headquarters with the intent to maintain it in the condition which Poe used it. However, with the widening of Kingsbridge Road, they lobbied the New York Sate Legislature to relocate the house across the street and to establish a public park surrounding it (—Poe Park). It wasn’t until 1913 that the cottage was moved and opened to the public, along with the park.
In 1962, Poe’s Cottage was designated a landmark in The Bronx and in 1966 it was recognized by the New York Landmarks Preservation Commission. Then, in 1975, the Bronx County Historical Society became its permanent custodian. Some of the furnishings such as Poe’s rocking chair and the bed in which Virginia died are still in the house today (anyone want to conduct a séance?). Other items in the cottage were not used by Poe himself, but arranged by Poe’s admirers that visited his home. Whether you are a Poe enthusiast or history buff, the cottage serves as a historical glimpse of The Bronx’s rural past and an intimate portrait of the life of one of America's most famous writers.
Edgar Allan Poe Cottage is located at Kingsbridge Road and the Grand Concourse in the Bronx, NY.
It costs $5 for adults, and $3 for students or seniors.
For more information, please visit The Bronx County Historical Society.