July 19, 2009

Siren Music Festival (7/18)


Nice Pants Monotonix!

I ended up at this scene after trying to get into the Central Park SummerStage concert featuring Q-tip and Chester French. I really should have practiced what I preach when I say get to events like this super early, in order to guarantee entry. A short time after I arrived to the park, an announcement was made that no one else would be admitted to SummerStage.

In spite of this, people still waited on line.

Spank Rock

The Siren Music Festival does not exactly feature my favorite genre of music. But I don't mind keeping an open mind. This festival has been at Coney Island for a few years now and it's an all day montage of Indie and Rock bands. All of this takes place on two separate stages at each end of the amusement park.

Booths filled with food and even some free samples.

Even though I didn't know any of the performers (with the exception of Spank Rock), the people surrounding were entertainment enough. When you mix the sun, music, and questionable substances you get a lot of crowd surfing, wild dancing, collapsing, and random behavior as shown here.

Sleeping dude and his friends.

Speaking of questionable substances, there was a whole lot of this taking place too:



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July 17, 2009

Manhattan Bridge FTW (7/16)


It may be very obvious and seem unspectacular, but it is absolutely costless to walk across the Manhattan bridge. When you're in a pinch like I was, it helps to remember that. I had been in the east village in the city, however I needed to make a pit stop in downtown BK, before I headed home. I refused to pay the new ridiculous MTA fare twice, so I decided I'll let my two feet take me to Brooklyn. This had been the first time I walked the Manhattan Bridge and I was reminded of Robert Frost's poem, "The Road Not Taken." Unlike the glitzy and glamorous, tourist infested Brooklyn bridge, the Manhattan overpass is raw, underpopulated, and longing to be discovered. 

I was inspired to write a haiku, paired with pictures of the Manhattan Bridge:

A train rumbles by

Graffiti stained walls throughout

A borough awaits

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July 15, 2009

"Punch Up Your Life" Comedy Show (7/14)

A look inside to Bookstore Cafe's display and second level.

The Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, located on the border of Soho and Noho, is an intimate, yet fun setting for the comedy presentation that takes place every Tuesday night at 8:30 pm. However I arrived a bit early and got to feel out the atmosphere without the stage and lights. I was disappointed that I hadn't discovered the place before. Bookstore Cafe is a cool, casual getaway from the other overhyped and saturated cafes in NYC (::cough cough:: Starbucks!). As it's name denotes, it's not only a cafe, but also a fully stocked bookstore (think of a scaled down, more organized Strand bookstore). I was bummed out that I didn't pack my laptop because there was also... FREE WIFI! Instead, for the first time in a long time, I picked up a book to read (:-O) while I waited. I also observed that there was an extension of the cafe on a second level balcony area within the store.

Housing Works Bookstore Cafe hosts many events throughout the week and all proceeds go towards helping homeless peoples living with HIV and AIDS. Which means anything you purchase, whether it be a cup of coffee or one of the many donated books, it will be a donation for Housing Works. They also encourage you to come and giveaway some of your books and CDs. The store is fully staffed by volunteers and I even signed up to become one. So if you want to get in on the philanthropy, become a patron of Bookstore Cafe. Bring your laptop, drink the coffee, read the books, and enjoy the comedians all while serving your community. 

One of the comics, Matt McCarthy 
(aka the cable guy in the Verizon Fios commercials).




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July 13, 2009

Keyshia Cole Wingate Field FAIL (7/13)

Would've been nice to know what you sound like live KC... 
Oh Well!

Over crowded is not even the word for the scene at Wingate Field tonight. For this reason, I didn't even get a chance to enter the concert. So if you plan on attending a show in the future, get there earlier than early!

I'm not the biggest fan of Keyshia and I know I have a lot in store for the rest of this summer therefore, I didn't mind ditching my spot after waiting on line for a while. But there were some people that were very determined to get in. Like this woman...


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Find Be Free This Week

July 13
July 14

July 15

July 17

  • JAWS Movie Screening

    FREE!

    From 8:30 PM to 10:30 PM (Doors open at 7:30PM)

    Location: Intrepid Flight Deck in Manhattan

July 18
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July 11, 2009

Be Free Out of Town

Wal-mart Love! 
In Columbus, Ohio but I'll be back soon!

Praise Oh-mighty Wal-mart!!!


Happy Happy Happy!

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July 8, 2009

Afro-Punk Festival (7/6)

The Afro-Punk Festival, being held in the heart of downtown BK, is the amalgamation of music, art, and skate/bmx culture into a week long event (culminating on July 12). Pictured above is who I consider to be the headliner of Monday's show, Janelle Monae. She is such a breath of fresh air to watch her sing and dance, and the many theatrics of her performance. It's almost like Janelle becomes a character but what's so refreshing is that she is absolutely just being herself. By the end of it, Janelle's signature hair style was disheveled and she seemed exasperated, but we, the spectators, wanted more of the energy, quirkiness, eccentricity, and originality she brings to the stage.

Janelle singing "Smile" by Charlie Chaplin, 
Michael Jackson's favorite song, which was also dedicated to the fallen star.

She even paints on stage! 
And gave the finished piece to a young girl in the audience.

Here is clip of Janelle performing "Many Moons"



Zoe Kravits (Lenny Kravits' daughter) and her band Elevator Fight.

A graffiti artist and his dope work. Plenty more where that came from.

America's Next Top Model winner of cycle 4, Naima and I.

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July 6, 2009

Find Be Free This Week

July 6
July 7

  • Waterfont Workouts with The Fitness Guru

    FREE!- limited mats with ID

    From 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM

    Location: Boardwalk at Empire Fulton-Ferry State Park (Brooklyn)


  • "Night Lights" Play

    FREE!- Drive-in play thru July 8. Spots limited, must have reservation.

    From 9:00 PM to 10:00 PM

    Location: Washington St btwn Spring St and Canal St (Manhattan)

July 8

July 9

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July 5, 2009

AVP Crocs Tour: Coney Island Open (7/5)

Hyden, Scott vs. Loomis, Patterson 
in the men's final.

Here is Loomis and Patterson's winning shot....




Volunteering is one of the best ways to donate/pass your time and not incur any hits to the pocket. Usually, the organizations that need your services try their best to compensate you the best way they can. I received free food, drinks, a Crocs logo bag, and more. 

Today was a fun filled day helping at the AVP Volley Ball tournament. The tour has taken place at Coney Island Beach for the past four years. This year I vowed that I wouldn't miss it again. The beach was sectioned off especially for this event. Before patrons got to the main court to watch the game, they could stroll along to different booths (Naked Juice Smoothies, Pop Chips, of course Crocs, and others) for the free goodies and samples. The Malibu Rum booth was where the party was with a Wii system and huge flat-screen set up, a DJ pumping out jams, pina coladas flowing, and a beached themed photo shoot. 


I was in charge of the Information Booth 
and also handed out the vip passes.

These were the freshest people at the game. 
Leopard print tights? I love!

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July 3, 2009

Coney Island Fireworks (7/3)


Who says Coney Island is closed?! From the looks of it, the world renowned amusement park couldn't be more open and inviting. Tonight's attraction brought in droves of people from all walks of life. All these people came to see...

This dude get his hustle on.

No just kidding! They all probably came to see another spectacle of lights: the Coney Island Fireworks which take place every Friday night at 9:30pm, all summer long. On the eve of Independence Day, the fireworks were especially befitting for this weekend. Here's a little preview below...



The fireworks have been a tradition in my native Coney Island for as long as I can remember. The crazy thing is the formations of the firecrackers and designs of the show have always been the same throughout the years too! Nonetheless, I love it because its FREE!



So eff "Macy's Annual 4th of July Fireworks Display" and your hearts and smiley faces and 3D graphics... and eff the $200 tickets just to watch from a chic rooftop or fancy  boat!





I'll take a redundant display, on the wrong night, with a neck-breaking view from the rickety boardwalk, surrounded by drunkards any day!


 

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