DEAR SUMMER – THE UC BIDS FAREWELL TO A SEASON TO REMEMBER

BY Led Black (@Led_Black)

This has been our first summer as the Uptown Collective (UC) and what a summer it has been. Therefore, on the cusp of fall, it is only fitting that we take a look back at the summer that was. We hit up all the great Uptown restaurants, parks, businesses, happenings and festivals and went to a movie premiere or two. In short, the Uptown Collective was ubiquitous. Don’t get me wrong, we will continue our Uptown omnipresence throughout the year but there is something oh so special about summer in Washington Heights and Inwood. So without further ado, here it is, the UC’s stirring, multi-media ode to the summer that is now but a memory.

What would an Uptown Summer be without an opened fire hydrant?

We took a trip down memory lane and revisited Highbridge Park, which went from being a place that you would have to be insane to enter to a must visit park that is now also a mountain biking Mecca in NYC. I even got lost in those woods during the Hike the Heights.

We hung out with Monster99, barber to such heavyweights as Manny Ramirez, Dwight Howard and Paul Pierce among others. Check out some of the outtakes from the R2 Studios photo shoot.

We were there for the opening reception of the Uptown Arts Stroll at Uptown Gem, The Hispanic Society of America.

Profiled Ozzie Perez and the Tread Bike Shop.

The UC’s Creative Director, M. Tony Peralta, dropped by Beans and Vines for a bite.

SOA’s Art Trek: Uptown featuring Toofly @ Bodre’s Cut and Color Room

Art Trek: Uptown featuring M. Tony Peralta @ Locksmith

Art Trek: Uptown – Art of Seduction @ Brazen

Art Trek: Uptown featuring Don Rimx @ La Sala 78.

Put together our Politicking with the People forums featuring Linares & Levine.

We also took a look at the Riots (Part 1 & Part 2 ) that rocked this neighborhood 18 years ago.

Our Wine 101 event @ Corcho Wine Room was a smash.

I am eternally indebted to Benlly Polanco and Vladimir Garcia for introducing me to the game-changing device known as the Porron.

We dropped in on The Dyckman Tournament and ran a post on Wash Heights resident Adris DeLeon aka 2 Hard 2 Guard, who is considered by many to be the premiere streetballer in the city.

[vimeo= http://vimeo.com/6869319]

Stopped by the Liquid Skin Studio for a chat with owner Miguel Moronta.

We were at the premiere of Trópico de Sangre. Check out my review of this amazing film.

Shout out to the big homie, Manny Perez, for putting together this exhilarating movie. The La Soga premiere was bananas. Here is the review.

We were also at the SoHo loft of the world’s number one Champagne, Armand de Brignac (Ace of Spades) with SOA and shot caller Datwon Thomas for A Toast of Summer. Crooner Bilal rocked the building with his soulful performance.

[youtube= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhN4IYQH-RY]

We had the Post-DR Parade festivities Uptown on lock, first, with these pics from the incomparable Briana E. Heard and then these pics from our loyal readers.

The UC was present for the incredible 40 Oz Bounce events that took place Uptown. S/O to 40 Oz Van and the crew for 40 Oz Bounce VI & 40 Oz Bounce Gone Loko.

Walk with me as I ride through the hood.

[vimeo=http://vimeo.com/14273966]

Dropped by Altus for The Bago Brunch with our boy Juan Bago.

So long Summer…

Parting is such sweet sorrow…

Until we meet again…

In short, we are Uptown.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN0Kx6hRXiw]

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