Just when you thought that this was going to be a mild winter, here comes Mother Nature to tell you different. It is at times likes these, as a historic blizzard bears down upon us, when we wish and daydream of migrating to warmer climes, that you need some F-ing Winter Humor. A few days ago, as I dug my car out of the snow, I thought about The Diary of a Dominican in Minnesota, which tells the hilarious tale of a Dominican man who moves from the island to Minnesota. He arrives mid-summer and falls heads over heels for the place. Things quickly change once winter arrives. This piece so perfectly sums up how many Dominicans feel about the winter, the cold and the snow. Not sure who the original author of the story is but it has the feel, rhythm and cadence of an old-school Dominican cuento. For a little more levity, check out my ode to Spring and my North Face. Enjoy!
 
Check out: Diary of a Dominican in…. Minnesota
Related: I Hate My North Face: An Ode To Spring

Thousands of journalists, auto industry personnel, influencers and car lovers from all over the world converged on Detroit for the 2015 North American International Auto Show earlier this month. The North American International Auto Show is something akin to a Valhalla for auto enthusiasts. As a certified car-nut I felt like the proverbial kid in the candy store.
 
Check out: The 2015 North American International Auto Show – The Recap
 

Much love goes to Ibeyi and their record label, XL Recordings, for a simply masterful campaign in advance of their forthcoming debut album, which drops February 17th. After releasing really creative visuals for songs Mama Says, Oya, River, and Ghosts they follow up with an expansive and well-executed mixtape that includes some of their music alongside and blended with tunes from such artists as Lauren Hill, Nina Simone, Jay Electronica, Kendrick Lamar and James Blake among many others. This mixtape is the perfect precursor to world domination. Like I said before, this is Neo-Diasporan Soul Music. Get used to it. By the way, the twins will be heading out on their North American tour and will be in our neck of the woods in March at the NY Music Hall of Williamsburg. You know I already purchased my tickets.
 
Check out: Spread Love: The Ibeyi Mixtape
Related: Put You On: Ibeyi

 
Our newest contributor, Mercy G, returns to our pages with another piece of verse entitled Goodbye My Dear. Mercy G’s poem about a love that is no longer is paired with a great picture by our very own Emmanuel Abreu.
 
Check out: Uptown Poetry: Tales of a Dyckman Princess – Goodbye My Dear

 
Ligaya Mishan of the NY Times has a knack for finding those hidden culinary gems. For his latest Hungry City post, he comes Uptown to Caribbean Seafood joint, LoLo’s Seafood Shack in Harlem. Be Warned: The sweet pictures of the delectable fare by Emon Hassan will leave you salivating.
 
Check out: LoLo’s Seafood Shack in Harlem | NY Times
Related: Hungry City: Abyssinia in Harlem | NY Times

 
A local Good Samaritan has kicked off a GoFundMe campaign to help out those poor families that were swindled out of their savings in a real estate scam recently. Lindsay Armstrong of DNAinfo reported on the crowd-funding drive to help those in need.
 
Check out: Fundraising Campaign Launched for Victims of Inwood Housing Scam – Inwood | DNAinfo
 


Lindsay also penned a story on the recent fire on 179th Street that led to a building evacuation and left one family in need of emergency shelter.
 
Check out: Washington Heights Fire Leaves Dozens Homeless | DNAinfo
 


Uptown’s own Mike Diaz AKA Juan Bago and Jaime Fernandez have a must listen podcast, The Translators Podcast. For this week’s episode they interviewed actor JW Cortes of the very popular Gotham TV show on Fox.
 
Check out: Uptown Talk: The Translators Podcast – JW Cortes



Calling all artists. The homie Danny Polanco is putting together an Open Mic at Lucky 7 on the 27th of this month.
 
Check out: 1/27/15: Open Mic @ Lucky 7

 
Have you heard the good news? Indiegogo has extended Word Up Books’ crowd-funding campaign until January 30th! It’s gets better. An anonymous donor issued a challenge, pledging to match every dollar that comes in beyond $23,000! That's right —every donation contributed from now through January 30th will be doubled! So if you have been procrastinating there is no better time than now to support our very own community, volunteer ran, bookstore. Spread Love it’s the Uptown Way!
 
Check out:  Word Up Community Bookshop Para Siempre

 
The Uptown Tweet of the Week goes to @AshtonFoster for this really cool picture that reminds us that life isn't what happens to you but how you handle it.
 
On that note, see you next week people!
 
Check out: The Uptown Tweet of the Week

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As always, check us out at www.uptowncollective.com. 

WHIN & Spread Love

Led Black
Editor-in-Chief
The Uptown Collective
 
The UC’s mission is to become “the” definitive,
transformative and community-based force
impacting the arts, culture, business and New York
City’s overall perception of Upper Manhattan.
Its objective is to reset, reboot and positively redefine
Uptown’s artistic, political, cultural and business spheres
via the online space as well the collective’s initiatives
and functions.