Bedstuy Modern: afro.electro.funk:: Bedstuy Modern Introduces "DAV...

Bedstuy Modern: afro.electro.funk:: Bedstuy Modern Introduces "DAV...: F or those of you who missed DAVÍ's performance on August 24th, you missed a mind-bending, electrifying performance. It was addictive!! Be...

afro.electro.funk:: Bedstuy Modern Introduces "DAVÍ"

For those of you who missed DAVÍ's performance on August 24th, you missed a mind-bending, electrifying performance. It was addictive!! Bedstuy Modern was front and center and we thought we'd invite you all to his October 4th show. Ladies and gents, Bedstuy Modern would like to introduce to you "DAVÍ."  If you don't know, you betta ask! 


_______________________________


DAVÍ is an uncanny talent.

As a choreographer, he's worked with R&B Singer, Ashanti (Def Jam); Electro-Pop group, Telephoned (Fool’s Gold); and Hip Hop/Electronica group, Cubic Zirconia (Fool’s Gold/Cry Baby) with whom he was featured on Fox's Fearless TV, toured and choreographed 2 music videos.

He is also the choreographer of the upcoming 2011 Lionsgate comedy feature film, We the Peeples, where he individually choreographed such talents as Kerry Washington, Craig Robinson, David Alan Grier, Tyler James Williams, and Melvin Van Peebles.

Now, DAVÍ presents his music of the genre he’s entitled afro.electro.funk; a dynamic form of music which can only be likened to a theoretical genre-demolishing, politically-charged, soulful child of electronica icon, M.I.A. and funk pioneer, George Clinton.

Upon the release DAVÍ's first single, "That Thump (New Music In Yo Ear)," blog worlds were set ablaze. On blogs such as MommyWarbucks.com, GreedmontPark.com and ThePrettyDope.com, Daví has been compared to everyone from Prince to Bootsy Collins to Chromeo and has been deemed "one of the finest talents of our days," (TwistedJazz.blogspot.com). That Thump (New Music In Yo Ear) samples production from DâM FunK’s "Killdat aka Killdatmuthafu*ka" and received a nod of approval from the FunK-man himself.

(You'll find a FREE DOWNLOAD of "That Thump (New Music In Yo Ear)" at his website, http://bydavi.com/ !!)

His wildly exciting electronic press kit, " The Daví Torrent" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vwuQ-OCilI) is so impressive, Blaxploitation creator and film legend, Melvin Van Peebles calls it, "the real deal, sensational and gripping."

DAVÍ in many ways presents a merging of evolutionary music, visual absorption and social responsibility, all in one titilating package. On October 4th at R Bar, you can expect the electrically unexpected. 

GET TIX HERE ! = http://www.dromnyc.com/events/1101/a-spark-of-dav

DAVÍ (http://bydavi.com/) will have his next NYC show featuring NEW songs from his upcoming album, thrilling choreography...

+ A SPECIAL GUEST ! 


---------------
DROM | 85 AVE A, Manhattan
TIX ONLY $10 !!!
Doors Open = 7p | Show Starts = 8p

Sounds by DJ Hideto

Fashion, Beauty, Vintage Finds: Grady's Collective Market

Perhaps most of you can relate…but have you ever found yourself walking the same path everyday, from train to home or home to corner store, doing your typical routine. Maybe your is head down, listening to music, eyes not particularly focused on anything or anyone and for some reason on this particular day and seemingly for no reason, you look up…and pay attention.  Your eyes widen, you stop and do a lopsided moonwalk back to the item in the window that has caught your eye. You look around, wondering if anyone else has noticed the gem you’ve found and with mouth ajar in awe, you walk in.

Well that is what happened to me a few weeks ago on a typical run down Fulton Street.

The gem in mention: Grady’s Collective Market at 923 Fulton Street in Brooklyn, a communal and creative space, featuring fashion, beauty, art and vintage finds.

Owner, curator and self ascribed lifestyle designer, Damien Holbert, is not new to the retail business. He co-owned a sneaker and denim shop, called Boro 51, in Las Vegas prior to returning to Brooklyn. He leases out space to artists and entrepreneurs weekly, monthly, and sometimes by the day.

Damien’s own work can be seen as soon as you approach the store. His customized furniture is displayed in the window. He makes his furniture and artwork from found furniture parts in and around Brooklyn. So that old crooked stool no one wants is the makings of one of Damien’s masterpieces! The extent of his talents is ridiculous. Damien designs apparel, creates interior furniture, mixes music, and refinishes modern furniture. He currently has an exhibit on display featuring insects made from wooden chair parts. Yes, you heard it, “insects out of furniture”. I’m sure we Brooklynites wouldn’t want anything more than another insect in our apartments. But his stuff is HOT, and imma figure out a way to purchase a piece.

The store is looking for additional tenants. Damien emphasized the need for a coffee or juice bar. And starting the end of the month, the backyard will be open for vendors as well.

I’m a fan of shared workspaces. On my first visit to Grady’s all kinds of bells were ringing in my head. All I could think of were the amazing opportunities this gives to startup retail entrepreneurs in Central Brooklyn. 

Entrepreneur Suzette Lavelle (suzettelavelle.com) explained to me that she lived in the neighborhood for 6 years prior to starting her business within Grady’s. She was a buyer in the fashion industry for years and decided it was time for her to start her own retail business. She concluded that Grady’s would be an appropriate stepping stone to get her own spot. She needed the exposure without the extra expenses of erecting her own boutique. 

She’s been in Grady’s for 4 months and has learned a lot.  She has used this experience as a small incubator. She now has a sense of her target market; she has built quite a number of repeat customers. She has learned to stay on top of her marketing. Although her main dollo comes from vending at festivals and markets during the year, she admits that having a store gives her customers the impression that her brand is stable, consistent and legit.   

Her advice to entrepreneurs who are thinking about becoming tenants at Grady’s is to not quit their day job yet. She said that Grady’s is excellent for someone who has a day job, but has always wanted to have their own shop. There is always someone present to oversee the store so individual retailers do not need to always in the store. They could set up their booth, and only work their free weekends.

Grady’s is also a great opportunity for young entrepreneurs. Just a few weeks ago a young designer asked to hold his launch party in the store after hours. He only had one printed t-shirt, a hat, patches, and two printed sweatshirts to display. He set up a booth in the middle of the floor and promoted using social media. What Damien thought would be a small gathering of 10 or so people, turned into a much larger party. All artists understand the extreme need of SPACE, and Grady’s as provided that in an affordable and fresh new way.

So when you’re on your way to or from brunch, or on a stroll down Fulton Street make sure to go inside. It’s located at 923 Fulton Street between Clinton and Waverly Aves. Hours: Tues, Wed noon-7pm; Thurs, Fri noon-8pm; Sat 11am-7pm; Sun noon-6pm. Located off the C, G trains to Clinton-Washington Aves.  Tell Damien Bedstuy Modern said, “Whaddup!”

Websites to checkout:

Gradys: gradysbk.blogspot.com

Damien’s email: DamienHolbert@carbonmade.com

Artwork: brooklynzoonyc.com, PARASITENYC.BLOGSPOT.COM

Party this Saturday @ La Grand Dakar w/ Greene Hill Food Co-op & DJ Reborn

This Saturday come hang out with BedStuy Modern @ La Grand Dakar in Clinton Hill.  We'll be there stuffing our faces with Senegalese food and twirling on the dance floor courtesy of the sick-tastic DJ Reborn. There is a goal to secure a space at 18 Putnam Avenue for this much needed fresh food cooperative. Details Below. 


Follow Bedstuy Modern on Twitter for further event information. https://twitter.com/BedstuyModern

FUN RAISER AT LE GRAND DAKAR - SATURDAYMARCH 19TH We are thrilled to invite you to our first Fun Raiser! Please join us at Le Grand Dakar in Clinton Hill for a lively, music-infused, community celebration of our collective efforts Not hungry? Come for the after-party!

ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT DINNER Community-style, delicious Senegalese fusion buffet by Pierre Thiam, 2010 Iron Chef Contender!             Live Jazz music with Justin Wood Quartet At Le Grand Dakar in Clinton Hill (285 Grand Ave, Brooklyn, NY) Saturday, March19, from 7:30-9:30pm A chance to enter our RAFFLE for awesome gifts from local businesses including Madiba, Saraghina, Who's Your Doggie, Lucky Lotus Yoga, Choice Market, Greenlight Bookstore to name a few

DANCE PARTY WITH DJ REBORN Dance the night away to mellifluous blend of Soul, Hip-hop, Reggae, House, Afrobeat by world-renowned DJ REBORN: touring DJ with DEF POETRY JAM, opening DJ for The Roots, India Arie, Common, Talib Kweli, Saul Williams, John legend and many more, an amazing artist in our intimate community setting! 10pm-closing, $10 at the door

PURCHASE TICKETS Purchase tickets on Brown Paper Tickets $20 if purchased online by Wednesday, March 17 $25 at the door (depending on availability - SPACE IS LIMITED) $10 at the door after 10pm for the dance party See our site for more information (menu, music, etc.). Visit us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=146506062080851

Photographer Captures the "Gold" of Bedstuy

This interview with photographer Russell Frederick warms our heart on this Sunday morning. 

Click on the link to read his New York Times interview and view some of his work. 

Bedstuy Modern sends our love.

http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/05/love-family-and-change-in-brooklyn/

MULTIMEDIA

Lens: Love, Family and Change in Brooklyn

By By JAMES ESTRIN

Published: February 5, 2011

Russell Frederick set out to document the "sweet things" about Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood.

Pictures from Sit-Read.com's Launch Party

On Friday night Bedstuy Modern joined a couple of friends in Williamsburg for Sit-Read.com's launch party. The event was held inside of Strawser & Smith on Driggs Avenue.  Here are a few of our favorite pieces.  Any drooling as a result of the flyness of the furniture, quickly vanished at the site of the price tags. One of our friends suggested we just rent a Uhaul, take a trip to a thrift store in Jersey, and load up. In all honestly though, we'll be back. I don't mind skipping a few meals for this first piece. 

Gigantic Snow Skullpture

Looks like some folks are having a bout of Halloween nostalgia. This enormous snow skullpture was spotted on Macon Street between Throop & Marcus Garvey.  As you can see, the artists even placed a blue light in the interior.  SCARRRY!!! If you get a chance, stop by and take a picture beside this attraction.


Kudos to the BedStuy Michelangelo! 

Sundance: Focus Features Acquires 'Pariah,' Buys Filmmaker's Next Project

Bedstuy Modern would like to congratulate Dee Rees and Nekisa Cooper on the acquisition of their film "Pariah" by Focus Features. 

Sundance: Focus Features Acquires 'Pariah,' Buys Filmmaker's Next Project

EXCLUSIVE: Focus Features has closed an acquisition deal for worldwide rights forPariah, the Dee Rees-directed coming of age story of a 17-year old African American teen from Brooklyn trying to find her place in the world, and coming to terms with her identity as a lesbian. Besides the acquisition, Focus has also engaged Rees to write another script with an eye for her to direct. The deal was in the seven figure range.

The film, which stars Adepero Oduye, Pernell Walker, Kim Wayans, Charles Parnell and Aasha Davis, created much buzz since its premiere last Thursday at the Eccles Theatre. It is a handle-with-care first film, but it showed enough promise that Rees has been courted by agents since the film's premiere and many feel she will be an emerging artistic voice. The picture was exec produced by indie icon Spike Lee, and produced by Nekisa Cooper. John Sloss at Cinetic Media closed the deal with Focus' Avy Eschenasy. At least two other suitors were also in the mix. It is the first deal at the festival for Focus, which last year acquired The Kids Are All Right, the Lisa Cholodenko-directed feature which became a breakout indie hit, grossing over $20 million domestic and nearing $30 million worldwide. The film this week received four Academy Award nominations including Best Picture.

Sit-Read.com Launch Party This Friday in Williamsburg

New Unis Chair

RISOM UNIS CHAIR

The waiting is over people. Sit-read.com has finally launched. sit-read.com. Their opening party will be Friday @ 7pm. 487 Driggs Avenue. Hopefully some of you will be able to make it.  

As a treat, we have included the above video of the Risom Unis Chair being assembled. This amazingly dope chair is available for purchase at Unis (226 Elizabeth Street in Manhattan). 

Renovations Couple Style

John & Christina are a couple of "creative-types", who met at Hampshire College in 2001. Christina graduated from Hampshire in December of 2003, and John graduated in 2005, after he transferred from Hampshire to NYU. They have lived in Williamsburg, Brooklyn since 2003, and have been living in this same spacious but inefficiently configured railroad apartment since 2004. And today- they've decided to take action!


After-Dinner Design: Just a teaser...: "Yes. That's me. Disguised as a plaster-coated-sanding-spackling ninja of the night. More on this subject later."

Brooklynite Gallery: Moving Onward and Forward

Late 2010 Exhibitions

Rae & 

STEN & LEX • GAIA "PORTRAITS" (2010)

http://vimeo.com/15793428

Bedstuy Design Dreams

I'm not ashamed to say that I have frequent daydreams of a Modern Bedstuy. What if one day instead of vacant abandoned brownstones on multiple blocks, those brownstones would be revitalized to look similar to the following: 

Okay so maybe its a stretch, but all of these brownstone renovations were done in the borough of Brooklyn. So if modern design can reach Brooklyn Heights, Parkslope, and Williamsburg, I know that soon it with creep over the Bedstuy.  


In fact there are already some homeowners who have renovated their brownstones with the best in modern architecture and design. In the next few months we will spotlight some of their homes.  If you know of anyone in Bedstuy with a super unique pad, please notify Bedstuy Modern as soon as you can. 

Triathlons and the African American Community

You know that friend that is always on some new ish?  That friend that makes you look at yourself and feel as if you're standing still?  This friend is always setting the benchmarks higher and higher for themselves. Well, this person to me is my friend Brian.  Some of you may have followed him when he had a food and drink blog called Life in the Food Lane. Check it out: http://www.discovertaste.blogspot.com/.

Now Brian is on to bigger and fresher things. Here is a letter he recently sent friends and asked us to share.

___________________________________________

All,

12 months ago, I made a decision that has changed my life.

As you know, I, Gershon and Steve completed the inaugural Ironman 70.3 in Miami last year.  I have personally found the triathlon to be incredibly rewarding, as it has created lasting memories, experiences, and life-lessons that truly transcend the sport itself. However, you may not know why I decided to take on the challenge . 

I was informed by a friend that although the triathlon is the fastest growing sport in the world, African Americans comprised of only 0.5% of the triathlon community.  Motivated to address this disparity he challenged himself and others to complete an Ironman event. 

Because the experience was so life altering, the three of us have since made it a personal mission to encourage awareness and diversity of the sport amongst our community.  Our story and experience have been documented by Affiliate Media, and I would love if you could support us by sharing the link to the trailer with friends,  anyone you know who may be in sports or fitness media (news, blogging, etc), posting it on your FB page, and uploading it to Twitter. Given Black History month is nearby, now is as appropriate of a time as any.

Attached is a one page overview that provides further context around the race. The full documentary will be released next month.  Please help us get as much attention on our story as possible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIw3kmbcQeg

I thank you in advance for your support.

Best,
Brian 

The Modern Saraghina

Most of us by now are aware of the love affair between Bedstuy residents and outside visitors with Saraghina Restaurant located at 435 Halsey Street.  www.saraghinabrooklyn.com

But here is a look at one stylists take on Saraghina, the character in Federico Fellini's famous film "8 1/2" .

I've included a clip from Fellini's film to satisfy your curiosity. The portrayal of sexuality in films sure has changed. 

film style :: The Modern Saraghina

The woman in this photo by The Sartorialist from Millan could perfectly play the part of the modern Saraghina, don't you think? With her dark, full look and edgy tattoos mixed perfectly with a femininity...she even has sandals on perfect for the scene in the sand!

Saraghina, the character in Federico Fellini's famous film "8 1/2" who was the symbol in this semi-autobiographical piece for his childhood feelings on sex originally played by Eddra Gale.


She's the (shall we say) big-boned, make-up smeared woman who dances a seductive version of the rumba for the boys on the beach after they pay her and yell "La Saraghina! The rumba!" while clapping and jumping up and down. She makes you kind of cringe but also become even more intrigued as you watch her expressions during the dance .

Then in the 2009 musical version of the same story in the film Nine, Fergie played the part of Saraghina with a bit more modern look - but still no less of the sultry inappropriateness.





If we could remake this film into a street-style type tribute, my modern Saraghina would where something like this (especially the Chanel faux tattoo garters):

Layered Rosette Sheen Dress :: Forever21.com
JILL Golden Sandals :: pret-a-beaute.com
Maeve leather shoulder bag :: net-a-porter.com
PEARL&IVY MEDIUM MULTI COLOUR HAIR BAND BLUE/PURPLE MULTI FEATHERS :: Farfetch.com
MAC Lipstick Matte :: Maccosmetics.com
LES TROMPE L'OEIL Chanel Temporary Tattoos :: Chanel.com

Federico Fellini's film "8 1/2" featuring Eddra Gale

Let's jump right in to this.  A few months ago I noticed this handcrafted shoe company which is based in Bedstuy. I was floored.  Here's some info on the company.  If you are like most BK residents, you love the look of overly worn boots.  Enjoy!  

Bed|Stü's Beginnings

Fundamentally based in nature with a thorough understanding of craftsmanship and endurance, Bed|Stü footwear is handcrafted of the finest materials available. With three lines to choose from – Bed|Stü Cobbler, Roan, and Bed|Stü – the company offers a broad choice of styles and price points. Starting in an old building converted into an office, design studio, and warehouse the brand began with the purpose of creating footwear inspired by the tough and resilient streets of Bed Stuy, Brooklyn.

Over the years the company has grown into a diverse, creative, and fiercely independent group of people. People who intentionally don’t have job titles; they just do whatever it takes to get the job done.Boasting a cult following with fans, the brand offers classic styles with attitude. Each piece possesses the craftsmanship that Bed|Stü is known for as well as the diversity and identity of those wearing the product. Check out more here: http://bedstu.com