Thanks to the good folks at Jet Blue, our family is preparing to take a long over-due vacation in the Dominican Republic this coming week. Late last year, several Washington Heights Dominican families were invited to La Casa del Mofongo to ostensibly participate in a documentary about Dominican culture. My wife, our 3 daughters and I, were chosen to take part in the endeavor. We were treated to a simply incredible meal and experience. The icing on the proverbial cake was that the evening ended with Jet Blue surprising us and giving everyone in attendance a free round-trip ticket to the Dominican Republic. In essence, that means that the trip that my family and I were in so need of but couldn’t really afford is now a reality. I invite you to follow our journey to the heart, soul and soil of Quisqueya via the site as well as social media using the hashtag, #DRtravelogue.

Dominican Republic here we come…
 
Check out: Jet Blue - Connecting The Dominican Diaspora With Quisqueya

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance inaugurates its new gallery space (5030 Broadway) with the exhibition Women in the Heights – The Human Essence. The exhibit features art work by local female artists and is curated by Andrea Arroyo. Women in the Heights will be on display until May 7th, 2015. Come out tomorrow for the opening reception in NoMAA’s new digs.
 
Check out: Uptown Art: Women in the Heights – The Human Essence @ NoMAA Gallery

 
In the latest installment of Tales of a Dyckman Princess, Mercy G gives us the skinny on what she considers a deal breaker in any new relationship. We paired the piece of verse with the perfect picture from Briana E. Heard.
 
Check out: Uptown Poetry: Tales of a Dyckman Princess – 2 Minute Plead

 
Andrew J. Hawkins of Crain’s NYC reported on Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez’s ambitious proposal to transform a swath of Uptown into a tech hub.
 
Check out: Northern Manhattan rail yard eyed for housing, tech office space | Crain’s NYC

 
Stephen Miller of Streetsblog NYC penned an excellent piece on the Plaza de Las Americas, which will convert 175th Street (between Broadway & Wadsworth Ave) to a permanent public space hosting vendors and a farmers market. True to it's name, the Plaza de Las Americas will evoke a Latin American plaza.
 
Check out: Plaza de Las Americas Reclaims Space for People in Washington Heights | Streetsblog NYC


 
Nikita Stewart of the NY Times wrote an interesting piece about a sleepover that then mayoral hopeful Bill de Blasio had at an Uptown housing project in the summer of 2013.  
 
Check out: After a Sleepover With Mayor de Blasio, a Friendship Formed | NY Times


 
One of my favorite music writers, Jon Caramanica, wrote a great article on how ASAP Rocky has dealt with the passing of his friend and business partner, ASAP Yams.
 
Check out: ASAP Rocky, Dearly Missing ASAP Yams, Half of Their Formidable Hip-Hop Tag Team | NY Times  

 
This week also saw an Uptown Collective exclusive from the homie Tellie Floydd, Hater’s Melody. Check the melody…
 
Check out: UC Exclusive: Tellie Floydd – Hater’s Melody
 


The guys at 8JTV are downright hilarious. Do yourself a favor and click the link below to see how Harlemite Damon Dash gets down.
 
Check out: Uptown Video: DAME DASH – You Ain’t A Boss

 
The Translators (Mike Diaz and Jaime Fernandez) are back with an animated and revealing conversation with actress April Hernandez Castillo. April talks about her classic Super Bowl commercial with Yao Ming, working on her first Hollywood film, Freedom Writers, and navigating the highs and lows of a career in Hollywood.
 
Check out: Uptown Talk: The Translators Podcast – April Hernandez Castillo


 
Don’t forget folks, the official Washington Heights & Inwood dining week celebration, #WHIN & DINE, kicks off next week, Monday, April 6th.
 
Check out: Washington Heights & Inwood Restaurant Week – April 6 Thru April 24th


 
Speaking of Uptown restaurants, it is a must that you check out the comprehensive Dominican Food Tour of Washington Heights & Inwood by Marissa Finn of Edible Manhattan.
 
Check out: Edible Manhattan: A Self-Guided Dominican Food Tour of Washington Heights & Inwood

 
Our Throwback Thursdays post tells the story of Max Brauer and how he went from being the mayor of a small German town during the Nazi era to fleeing for his life and ending up in exile right here in Inwood. Kudos to Cole Thompson of My Inwood for painting such a vivid picture of that dark chapter in world history.
 
Check out: Exile in Inwood: The Max Brauer Story | My Inwood

 
We ended the week with a stirring story from James Barron on Dionisio A. Lind, the carillonneur at Riverside Church. Don’t forget to press play on the awesome video on Mr. Lind by the talented Emon Hassan.
 
Check out: Restoring the Spirit With the Sound of Big Bells High Over Manhattan | NY Times

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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.