Whether or not you agree with Occupy Wall Street, it was one of the biggest things in 2011. “We are the 99%” was heard around the world. Zuccotti Park was literally taken over by thousands of people camping out to protest against economic and social inequality. They found the “1%” and corporations, as well as our government, to be full of greed and corruption while the “99%” dealt with unemployment and lower paychecks. I was down on Wall Street the day the protests began, a crowd of people came rushing down the street resembling a broken dam. I remember watching the people pass me, reading their signs and thinking it was just another day in the city. I was wrong. What I saw turned out to become a phenomenon. A PopUp viewer, and close friend of mine, told me all about #WhileWeWatch, a new 40-minute documentary about OWS and the people involved. Directed by Kevin Breslin, he brings outsiders into the lives of the protestors, painting an up-close portrait of what they went through at Zuccotti Park and what they believe in. #WhileWeWatch will be premeiring TONIGHT at 6:30PM at the United Federation of Teachers – 52 Broadway, #A. To get there, take the 4 or 5 to the Wall St stop. You can also catch the LIVESTREAM online of commentary by the cast & filmmakers at 6:30 as well. For more information on #WhileWeWatch, CLICK HERE.
This weekend, forget about Wall Street. It’s Occupy Vintage Trains! Take a trip back in time, literally. The city has all the super awesome vintage subway train cars hidden away from the public, which is a shame cause the subway cars we have now are really bright and they talk to you. This Saturday Dec. 17th, you could take a ride on a vintage subway car – with some extra special treats thanks to Levy’s Unique New York, who is known for their brilliant city tours. The Balboa Club, an NYC swing dance group, will be taking the trip with you! Thats right, it’s a Swing Dance party on the train! The music starts playing at noon, with the swing dancers and NYC-based jazz bands playing and dancing at 12:30. Once the clock strikes 12:57, the train takes off and the dance party lasts all the way to the end of the line in Queens and back to the East Village. But thats not all, once 2PM comes, it’s time for ANOTHER trip to Queens and back, but this time it’s an epic Vintage Tea Party! Tea and Cookies will be provided, but it’s up to you to BRING YOUR OWN sugar cubes, milk, cream, china, and any other snacks you’d prefer.
Today marks the Henry Hudson Bridge’s 75th Birthday! A special thank you once again to Dave Frieder for supplying me with sensational photographs of one of our city’s beloved bridges. Opened in 1936, it connects the Bronx with Northen Manhattan across the Spuyten Duyvil Creek. Robert Moses liked the land next to the Hudson River, and chose it for the highway’s location. It’s a 2208 ft long steel arch bridge that holds 4 lanes on the lower deck and 3 lanes on the upper deck. Recently, the MTA began “open tolling” on this bridge. Happy Birthday!
