Presented by Lava Girl Surf and LUNA Bar, the 4th Annual NYC Women’s Surf Film Festival (NYCWSFF) returns to town on Aug. 12. Following an opening reception at the Rockaway Beach Surf Club at 6:00 PM, film screenings begin at 9:00 PM.
“The level of excitement surrounding this year’s Women’s Surf Film Festival is greater than ever. We have such great filmmakers, artists and surfers coming from around the world to celebrate, inspire and connect with the women’s surf community. The films are curated from around the world and the surfer’s featured represent such a beautifully diverse mix of cultures, styles and influences.”
Davina Grincevicius
In addition to the opening reception and film screenings on Aug. 12, Davina is especially excited about a photographic exhibition taking place on that Friday:
“This year, the film festival is enhanced by a fantastic photography exhibition by Australian surf photographer Fran Miller. Fran is a regular contributor for WSL, The Inertia and Sunshine Surf Girls…and not least, a surfer. We are thrilled to combine her art exhibition with the film festival and introduce her work to the New York City surf scene.”
The NYC Women’s Surf Film Festival 2016 continues on Saturday, Aug. 13 with more screenings. More info can be found at www.nycwomenssurffilm.com.
Looking to enjoy a cool drink and a hot dog under the stars? Check out HENRI’S newly-opened Brooklyn location at 256 4th Avenue in Gowanus, HENRI’S Backyard.
Binh Douglas of the HENRI Hospitality Group wants you to feel at home under the trees while chowing down on a menu of shared bites, salads, sandwiches, sweets, and — if you come back often enough — a “secret” menu that’ll be offered to their most frequent patrons.
Over the course of his career, Douglas has led operations for more than a dozen successful restaurant and nightlife venues throughout the country, including time at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. We spoke with him about his Vietnamese-German fusion menu, and how his heritage — half Vietnamese, a quarter Native American, and a quarter black — lends itself to the flavorful spins on beloved “backyard” classics.
What made you decide to open a second location, and how is it different from the first?
Binh Douglas: We saw an opportunity in Gowanus as it is still an up-and-coming neighborhood in Brooklyn with a need for a welcoming outdoor space. We wanted to stay true to our family’s ethnicity this time, honing in a bit more on the German Biergarten feel with our “German meets Vietnamese” French, American, and Native American fusion cuisine. Also, we obviously wanted to keep our badass wallpaper contingency going.
Will the menu change seasonally?
BD: We plan on keeping our brunch menu the same, but seasonal dishes will change accordingly to what’s fresh, local and in season. For example, our freshly-farmed and hand-delivered north fork Blue Point raw oysters from Oysterponds Shellfish Co. will shift to heartier oysters — Rockefeller and clams casino — in the fall and winter. Lighter summer veggies and salads will start shifting to in-season vegetarian replacements. We also plan on adding homemade soups to the menu as the weather gets colder.
Do you think that having actual backyard space like this could really only happen in Brooklyn?
BD: I think it’s more affordable, in general, to have a backyard or outside space in the outer boroughs of Manhattan. I’m sure there are other opportunities in parts of Queens or Brooklyn that haven’t been already overrun by new high rises or real estate developers.
What have the most popular menu items been?
BD: So far, our quinoa salad and Banh Mi sandwiches have been flying out of the kitchen. That’s not to say that our sous vide Vietnamese ribs and veggie burger aren’t very close.
Tell me how your heritage lends its influence to the menu…
BD: Other than traditional backyard American fare, most of our dishes have an element of Asian, German, French, or African-American influence, which if you think about it is the new America anyway.
What is your hope for the new space as the weather begins to turn colder, and the backyard may not be as popular?
BD: As the weather changes, we are looking to enclose the space and capture the feeling of a year-round backyard. This way, in the dead of winter, guests will have an oasis in Brooklyn to remind them of the warmer days.
These days, it seems that all of the essential TV series to watch are on cable networks. Power, as seen on Starz, is of no exception. Its season two premiere brought in 1.43 million viewers, which was a record for the channel. Meanwhile, the season two finale of Power generated 2.39 million viewers.
Power returned for its third season on Jul. 17. The second season of the show — whose stars include Omari Hardwick, Naturi Naughton, Lela Loren and Joseph Sikora — currently has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, showing great promise for this new 10-episode season. In support of Season 3, Downtown caught up with actor Joseph Sikora, who portrays Tommy Egan on Power, for some Q&A.
JS: The Little Prince in The Little Prince at the Touchstone Theatre, directed by Sandra Grand.
Was there an event or a person that inspired you to pursue a career as an actor? Or a particular film?
JS: Michael Shannon after seeing him in the play Killer Joe, by Tracey Letts, at the Next Theatre in Evanston, Illinois, in like ’93? That was the first time I was totally blown away.
For you, was schooling or training from a teacher essential to your becoming a professional actor?
JS: No.
What do you wish more people knew about acting?
JS: You don’t have to be pretty to be great. It is an ancient and honorable craft. We are not the characters we play.
How did the opportunity to appear on Power come up? Did you audition? Hear about it from someone related to the show?
JS: I heard about it from one of my managers, Patrick Keane. I was unable to audition for it when it first came around, but when he heard that they were still looking for the role, he really pushed to make sure I was able to record an audition and send it off to Los Angeles.
For someone who hasn’t seen the show before, how would you describe it?
JS: A love story between two brothers and their struggle to survive and follow their dreams.
Does a person have to watch the series from the first episode to understand everyone that’s going on in the new season?
JS: Probably a good idea. But I have heard of people coming in late and then going back to season 1 and it feeling like getting a secret backstory.
Joseph Sikora & Omari Hardwick
How do you personally compare to your character Tommy?
JS: We both like food. We are both 5’11” and blonde. However, I am not a murderer, I don’t do drugs and I have a slightly easier time keeping my anger under control.
Aside from Power, are there any upcoming roles of yours that you can talk about?
JS: Yes, I will have a supporting role in the remake of Jacob’s Ladder starring Michael Ealy.
Is there a kind of role you haven’t yet done but are still hoping to for bucket list reasons?
JS: Bond. James Bond.
Do you have aspirations to write, produce or direct?
JS: Yes. I already have written quite a bit. I really enjoy it. I would love to direct — it’s time. I will be producing shortly.
When not busy with your career, how do you like to spend your free time?
JS: With my dog and my beautiful wife. I go to the gym and jog around Brooklyn. I love to play pool and find great food.
What are some of the shows that you watch on television when you have the chance?
JS: Vinyl, The Knick, Survivor’s Remorse, The Girlfriend Experience — on Starz — and Game Of Thrones.
Finally, Joseph, any last words for the kids?
JS: School. Stay in it. Follow your passion and work hard — no excuses. Don’t blame other people if you aren’t succeeding. Always take time to have fun.
City of Water Day, our region’s largest waterfront festival, returns Saturday, Jul. 16. This annual celebration of the New York and New Jersey waterfront area offers waterfront activity fairs at both Governors Island and Hoboken’s Maxwell Place Park, in addition to dozens of In Your Neighborhood sites. The festival runs from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM with Disney and Con Edison as returning sponsors.
“This is the day that we celebrate our magnificent waterfront and play,” said Waterfront Alliance president and CEO Roland Lewis. “Whether you just moved to this beautiful city of water or you grew up in the Rockaways, whether you’re an old salt or you’ve never stepped foot on a dock, grab friends and family and head for the water on City Of Water Day! Together, we are working to protect and transform our waterfront, making sure it is accessible and resilient; and together we will savor the fresh air, the views, the vitality, and the diversity of this great harbor.”
Some of this year’s festival highlights:
• Free Boat Rides – Thousands of free seats on special boat tours are a hallmark of City Of Water Day. In addition to rides on tall ships, charter yachts and a fireboat, free ferries will run for this day only between Hoboken and Governors Island to connect the two City Of Water Day hubs. Reservations for free boat tour seats will be announced on the City of Water Day website and social media later this month.
• Con Edison Cardboard Kayak Race – The fourth annual Con Edison Cardboard Kayak Race will take place at Governors Island during City Of Water Day. At noon, 25 teams—including squads from three-time winner Stevens Institute of Technology and the U.S. Coast Guard, plus competitors from local boat clubs, universities, high schools and family groups, will gather on Kayak Hill to receive identical amounts of cardboard and tape. The teams will take two hours to design and build vessels, and then they’ll jump in and race those boats to much — guaranteed — hilarity.
• Disney Children’s Activities – A special section of children’s activities on Governors Island, presented by Disney, will offer dozens of games and hands-on activities, from face-painting to fishing. A full listing of activities will be available in early July.
• City of Water Day In Your Neighborhood – City of Water Day is truly a citywide event! Expanding every year, the In Your Neighborhood program offers free activities on City Of Water Day in all five boroughs, Yonkers, and in New Jersey. Check out the In Your Neighborhood map to find the City of Water Day event closest to you.
When Lollapalooza was introduced in the early 1990s, it was reportedly Perry Farrell’s attempt at bringing the eclectic nature of a European music festival to the States. Two and a half decades later, music-based festivals have become a norm of sorts in this region, many of such also including food, tech and film tie-ins. The Brooklyn-based Northside Festival, which is currently in its eighth year, launches Jun. 7.
Running through Jun. 12, the week-long Northside Festival will bring an estimated 100,000 attendees. Among the 400-plus participating artists will be Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson, country-pop hero Kacey Musgraves, Bright Eyes leader Conor Oberst, and hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash. Partners of the festival helping to curate programming include AdHoc, Bloomsbury Publishing, Hive Mind PR, Pitchfork, Noisey, and Wharf Cat Records. Ultimately, Northside will benefit the Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn, a non-profit dedicated to building a stronger North Brooklyn by improving parks and playgrounds.
Dana Keith, the Northside Festival’s Director, spoke to Downtown about the festival — which will be streaming through Kiswe — and so much more. Dana took over as Director in 2014, also working with the festival’s parent company Northside Media Group as Director of Business Development. A Williamsburg resident that attended college in Burlington, Dana came across as both down-to-earth and intriguing.
Where did the idea for the Northside Festival come from?
Dana Keith: We were looking at how successful SXSW was and also noticing how many people down there are coming from our backyard. It spurred the question: Why doesn’t New York have its own discovery festival when so much of the talent and the attendees are right here? And that’s when Northside was born!
How does this year’s festival compare to the event when it started eight years ago?
DK: Northside started out as a four-day festival, with a few hundred bands — music only! And we held our festival headquarters in the back of a vacant shop on North 6th Street! Now Northside is a week-long music, innovation and content festival with two conferences at six stages, a 100+ exhibitor innovation and tech expo, multiple outdoor music stages, over 30 indoor music clubs with 400+ bands playing.
We close off Bedford Avenue for two days, we’ve brought huge talent in — Brian Wilson playing Pet Sounds, Conor Oberst and Kacey Musgraves co-bill, Wolf Parade and Grandmaster Flash both playing free shows. In a nutshell, the scope of the festival has continued to grow to showcase what’s next in music, innovation and content.
Around how many people are on your team? Or at least any idea how many people it takes to make a festival like this happen?
DK: Our full-time staff is about 25 and we have hundreds of volunteers and project-based employees who really help make the magic happen. The staff is so crucial and we’re lucky to work with many people year in and year out!
I’m assuming it’s too late now for someone to apply to volunteer this year, but for someone interested for next year, what’s the best way to submit to be a volunteer?
At what point did you realize that Brooklyn was “the” place for a lot of people, and not just a place outside of Manhattan?
DK: Our founders Danny and Scott Stedman — who are brothers — had the prescience to recognize that 14 years when they launched The L Magazine!
Are there any restaurants that are partnered with the Northside Festival? Or if not, any local restaurants you can recommend?
DK: Yes, we are partnering with a number of great local restaurants: Barcade, The Gibson, The Gutter, Huckleberry Bar, Broadway Stages, Daddy’s, Beer Street, Rocka Rolla, Skinny Dennis, Lucy Dog, George & Jack’s…
Is Brian Wilson the biggest performer you’ve had headline at the festival?
DK: Yes! We’re all so personally thrilled by Brian Wilson playing Pet Sounds — and the influence that album in particular has had on many contemporary artists who will also be playing the festival, it’s such a synergistic and exciting performance for Northside.
Are there any plans for the Northside Festival to release a DVD or some sort of compilation of performances?
DK: We do have a live-streaming partner for music this year: Kiswe! For now, that’s the best way to watch performances of the festival.
Once this year’s festival has wrapped, what’s ahead for you on the work end?
DK: I also handle business development for our other media like Brooklyn Magazine and BAMbill and events — SummerScreen, our outdoor film and music series in McCarren Park, kicks of in July, and then Taste Talks in Brooklyn in September, then Chicago in October and we’re launching L.A. in November!
When you’re not busy with work, how do you like to spend your free time?
DK: Well, I’m running the Brooklyn Half Marathon this Saturday, so that’ll be an adventure. Our staff likes to try and do it together every year! I’m happy trying new restaurants in the city, reading new fiction, and making my own essential oil blends — hippie alert!.
Finally, Dana, any last words for the kids?
DK: Don’t sleep on Northside! In a time when so many of the festivals — Governors Ball, Panorama, Coachella — are being consumed by large corporations — AEG, Live Nation, you know the drill — Northside really is a last holdout in independent booking, and we’re so proud to give artists, entrepreneurs and innovators a stage who might not have a voice elsewhere.
This is a chance for you, the listeners, learners, startups, music lovers to show that you want that!
Both interjections Oy and Yo make up the yellow sculpture by artist Deborah Kass. The sculpture was put up in Brooklyn Bridge Park last Monday and reads two ways; if you’re looking at it from Manhattan, it says “YO,” while if you look at it from Brooklyn, it says “OY.”
Commissioned by Brooklyn developer Two Trees Management Company, the sculpture will run through August next year. The sculpture plays on the idea of both Brooklyn and Manhattan slang, in which “YO” can be viewed as “I am” in Spanish and “OY” can be seen as a reference to the Yiddish expression.
Kass’s work borrows and revamps the art styles of 20th century male icons and gives them a feminist twist–artists she borrows from include Andy Warhol, Robert Indiana and Frank Stella among others.
To see her work, click here. For information on her upcoming gallery exhibition, click here.
