PLANET CHOCKO – art/music/movies/beyond

TRUE NEW YORK is out on DVD and VOD (iTunes)

November 17th, 2016 by Mr. C

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We wanted to share an excellent documentary anthology that was released as a feature by First Run Features called TRUE
NEW YORK.

True New York is an awesome collection of 5 award-winning short film docs that takes place in NYC.

All 5 films display a subculture of NY that undeniably reams of Big Apple grit, passion, persistence, & neighborhood rituals.
The short documentaries include C-Rock (dir Jordan Roth), Taxi Garage (dir. Joshua Weinstein), One Track Mind (dir. Jeremy Workman), A Son’s Sacrifice (dir. Yoni Brook), & Black Cherokee (dir. Sam Cullman & Benjamin Rosen). I had seen Taxi Garage which is a shortened version of Drivers Wanted, a full feature length film we saw at DOC NYC 2012. The other 4 films were new to me and I truly enjoyed the 5 as a compilation! True New York is a great stocking stuffer of all star documentaries! I’ve already got my TRUE NEW YORK DVD on hand as I type this!

The DVD is available now at First Run Features or on Video on Demand (iTunes).

Below I give a brief synopsis of the films to wet your appetite!

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C-Rock (dir Jordan Roth – runtime 26min)

Was a wonderful look at local kids from the Bronx jumping off a rock face cliff known as C-Rock into a body of water where the Harlem River & Spuyten Duyvil creek intersect in the Bronx. It’s a rite of passage – a primer, a test for some of these youngsters entering adulthood. Besides that, it’s bragging rights! These kids sure do know when to put on their best performance caps on when that Circle Line tour boat comes a cruising down the Harlem River! It’s been a few generations of tradition for these folks jumping off C-Rock and the old heads are still boasting and toasting about it!

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Taxi Garage (dir. Joshua Weinstein – runtime 29min)
In an area of Long Island City, Queens where a wasteland of Taxi companies call home – we get introduced to 55 Stan, an NYC taxi depot that is run by its charming yet still a drop the hammer type of owner – Stan! We meet a few characters that inhabit this 24 hr operation including 90+ year old Spider who is originally from the South but has made driving taxis in NYC a 67 year career! We also get to meet a chinese immigrant who takes a stab at getting his ‘hack license and drive for 55 Stan to support his wife & 2 kids. This is a wonderful documentary that displays why NYC is a city that never sleeps and a city where only the strong can survive and those that can adapt, will flourish!

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One Track Mind (dir. Jeremy Workman – runtime 22min)
In a city where most are obsessed and have some form of OCD or another – some may even call it passion, we have Phillip Coppola who has roamed the NYC subway system for 40 years documenting every subway station as much as humanly possible. He draws, sketches, make notes, and then archives his drawings. He has published a few books on the history of the NYC subway station including drawings of the unique tilework in each of these stations. Coppola provides an interesting look at the sometimes mundane jaunt of riding the Subway system on a daily basis. He makes you look at the train station in a different light, a different angle making you appreciate the history of this old transportation system of ours that lurks in the underground. It will take him up to year 2040 or so to finish documenting the NYC subway system! Follow his journey!

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A Son’s Sacrifice (dir. Yoni Brook – runtime 30min)
Not just your average son taking over a local family business, Imran is of mixed Puerto Rican-Bangladeshi heritage living in Queens,NYC. His father’s business is a halal slaughterhouse which provides an important service to his fellow conservative Muslim community in Queens. Imran is giving up a successful marketing career for one that includes sacrificing in the most broadest of terms and on one of Islam’s most holiest days as well to prove to his father that he can take the family reigns in the business. This film reminds me of the sacrifices & challenges that all children of small business owners have to go through in order to take over a successful family business.

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Black Cherokee (dir. Sam Cullman & Benjamin Rosen – runtime 21min)
This unique man we’ve seen standing freeze framed alongside the FDR drive in Harlem performing/posing close to the off ramps leading to the Triboro bridge many a times when we ventured onto the East side of Manhattan from New Jersey in our car. We’ve always wondered what his message was, why he performed there for hours on end – sometimes half naked standing, holding, or balancing a fruit like a watermelon or orange. We’ve always asked ourselves why, why why! It’s because he is a Black Cherokee with pride! It was truly a standing and moving meditation of sorts filled with spiritual bliss, inspiration, & psycho therapy in order to deal with his family duties with graceful honor. Black Cherokee will tug at your heart a bit. Don’t fight it!

Tags: documentary, films, new york, short films
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Tom Chapin,Uncle Floyd,John Dull & friends appearing at Wetlands Preservation concert Saturday 11/19 in Rutherford,NJ

November 15th, 2016 by Mr. C

(Tom Chapin)

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This Saturday November 19 – Tom Chapin, Uncle Floyd, John Dull & friends including Ted Clancy, Martin Dull, The Dammers-Desmond Trio, and Scott Petito will be appearing at the 9th edition of the Pete and Toshi Seeger Wetlands Preservation Concert Series at the Rutherford Congregational Church Concert Hall in Rutherford,NJ. Concert starts at 7.35pm . At 7pm there will be table displays by several environmental groups to garner more interest and raise awareness.

(Uncle Floyd)

The set of Wetlands Preservation Concert series was established by Pete Seeger and friends in 2010 and their goal is to raise awareness and highlight the natural treasures that our Wetlands has to offer. Not very far from the concert grounds at the RCC concert hall in Rutherford,NJ lies a great example of one of north jersey’s Wetlands preserve at Dekorte Park in Lyndhurst. Take a stroll on one of the trails before the concert!

Click here for more info on the concert at Dull Music.

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Tags: folk music, nj, pete seeger, rutherford, rutherford congregational church, wetlands preservation, wetlands preservation concert series
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DOC NYC 2016: More Reviews

November 15th, 2016 by chocko

Here are more short reviews of movies playing during DOC NYC, America’s largest documentary festival. Be sure to take a look at their website or pick up a program and find something that you can get into. Get your tickets and head over to either IFC Center (323 Sixth Ave at West Third Street), SVA Theatre (333 West 23rd Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues) or Cinepolis Chelsea (260 West 23rd Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues). The festival ends on Nov. 17. See you there!

MARATHON: THE PATRIOTS DAY BOMBING
Dirs: Ricki Stern, Annie Sundberg
This documentary is powerful, emotionally uplifting and at times, heart breaking and difficult to watch. The movie is about the aftermath of the bombing that took place at the Boston Marathon in 2013. Three people were killed and hundreds were injured. Following two explosions near the finish line at our nation’s oldest marathon, chaos continued as a manhunt began to capture the suspects. The movie chronicles the investigation and capture of the killers but also follows the courageous stories of several survivors that suffered serious injuries in the bombing. The movie follows the survivors for the next three years as families and loved ones are pushed to the limits in their attempts to recover physically and emotionally from nearly losing their lives. Marathon is a must see.
MON NOV 14 8:00PM (CC)

SUPERGIRL
Dir: Jessie Auritt
The movie is a fun coming of age story of a talented nine-year-old girl, Naomi Kutin. Naomi is a typical Orthodox Jewish pre-teen living in New Jersey, but when she puts on her weightlifting belt and a barbell loaded with weights is placed in front of her, stand back because Supergirl is in the building. She psyches herself up to powerlift by pacing around and letting out menacing grunts and roars. After competing and breaking a powerlifting records, she finds herself on television, making headlines and becoming a social media sensation. The movie follows Naomi for three years as she juggles going to school, dealing with cyberbullies, staying healthy and getting ready for her Bat Mitzvah. My favorite scene in the documentary is the part after Naomi falls short in a competition and a bunch of massive weightlifters noticed her dismay and offered words of encouragement. This inspiring documentary is Jessie Auritt’s debut as a feature film director and is definitely worth watching.
SUN NOV 13 4:30PM (SVA)

THE BEE KEEPER AND HIS SON
Dir: Diedie Weng
This documentary mostly takes place in a rural mountain valley in Northern China where we follow the slow-paced lives of an old grumpy beekeeper Laoyu and his young son, Maofu who returns home after a year working as a migrant worker in the city. Maofu feels disconnected and his relationship with his aging father is put to the test when old school and new school ideas are put on the table. Maofu wants his family to develop a brand for their honey, but his father wants his son to focus on the traditional beekeeping techniques he’s mastered for the last 50 years. It is a slow moving movie that might send you to sleepy town but there are some fun moments. Besides the bees, the family has a dog, cat, chicken, pigs and two geese. There is a moment while watching this documentary when I realized that the geese have taken over the movie. There’s one in particular that follows Maofu and his father everywhere they go. There’s even an entertaining scuffle between the goose and their dog. There’s a goose in every shot of the film, I’m pretty sure of it.
SUN NOV 13 7:15PM (CC)

SOUR GRAPES
Dir: Jerry Rothwell, Reuben Atlas
This movie takes viewers into the world of rare wine auctions and the lifestyles of the wealthy and powerful. The central character is Rudy Kurniawan, a young man of mystery with money to burn and a lover and collector of rare wine. Rudy had a warm personality and made many friends in Hollywood while raking in the dough selling rare and vintage wine at auctions. Laurent Ponsot, a wine producer in Burgundy, France suspects somebody is selling counterfeit versions of his wine through a top auction house. Laurent goes into Sherlock Holmes mode and his investigation brings him all across the globe but all roads lead to the Rudy Kurniawan. This movie was a fun eye opening romp into a world I was totally unfamiliar with. The movie is exciting to watch and is my favorite out of all the documentaries I’ve seen at the festival.
MON NOV 14 8:45PM (CC) + THU NOV 17 12:30 (IFC)

THE HOUSE ON COCO ROAD
Dir: Damani Baker
This documentary is about the filmmaker’s 1982 journey from California to Grenada with his mother, a black activist and teacher. Around this time in America, President Ronald Reagan’s war on drugs was destroying black communities across the country. Along with fellow activist, Angela Davis and her family they set out to start a new life in a Utopia for black people. At the time, Grenada was overthrown by Maurice Bishop who spearheaded an Afrocentric revolution. The revolution didn’t last too long along with the socialist utopia after the U.S. military invade the island. The movie features footage of Damani’s return to Grenada in 1999 along with interviews that put what went down in Grenada and America at the time in a greater perspective within black history and activism.
TUE NOV 15 1:00PM (IFC) + THU NOV 17 7:45PM (IFC)

Tags: cinema, doc nyc, documentary, IFC Center, movies, reviews, sour grapes, supergirl, sva theatre, the bee keeper and his son
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Finding KUKAN at DOC NYC Film Festival 2016

November 14th, 2016 by Mr. C

There are so many facets and layers of why I enjoyed watching FINDING KUKAN and I think you will, too! At the very most outer shell, Kukan (1941) – an American made documentary film about a war torn China being invaded by Japan with live video footage on location from China during the attacks, was one of the very first if not first documentary film that was given an Academy Award. And to add to the mystery, Kukan was a “lost” film. Very few have ever seen it and there were no copies of the film to be found. The director of Finding Kukan – Robin Lung began to assemble the pieces of the puzzle together and to try & answer the question, who was behind the documentary film KUKAN?

This is where the most interesting aspect of the film arises. Who really was the artistic creator, writer, & producer of KUKAN? We do know that Rey Scott was the cinematographer for the film but he was not the only inspiration. Director Robin Lung – started peeling away at the layers of KUKAN and the name Miss Li Ling-Ai seemed to be always attached with the promotion of KUKAN though her name was not officially linked with the creatives in any way. Bits & pieces of evidence tied Ling Ling-Ai as the mastermind of KUKAN and the rest of Finding Kukan would unravel this lady’s fascinating story as a chinese american woman growing up in an America that was not welcoming towards the Chinese. For one, the Chinese exclusion act in the United States of ‘Murica was in effect from 1882-1943 during her time. All things seemed to be pointing to Li Ling Ai’s as KUKAN’s beating heart inspiration and her desperate wanting to tell the story of the Chinese and their struggle in China. In an interview from archived footage shown in Finding Kukan, Miss Li drove home that she wanted everyone to know that the chinese were not just a sing song ching chong china club as portrayed in america.

At the inner most layers of FINDING KUKAN, I think the most important duty that this film is trying to achieve with the valiant efforts of the director was to locate/preserve the lost film in some form or fashion. Kukan is an important document of Chinese history as well as being an important part of American filmmaking. The other aspect of the film that I appreciated was exposing the courageous and outrageous Miss Li Ling-Ai. Here you have a very well-spoken for Chinese American woman born in Hawaii, living during the times of the Chinese exclusion act yet she was boisterous and proud of being Chinese. Her yankee accent would tell you otherwise. She was a very proud american as well! Her mingling with the press and lifestyles of the rich & famous like The Ripley’s tells you the kind of personality she had! She was the Bruce Lee of playwrights! Go grab some dried octopus or popcorn and find the nearest theatre screening Finding Kukan! If you are near NYC, you are lucky!

Finding Kukan screens at DOC NYC film festival on Tuesday 11/15 at 5.30pm and 11/16 at 12:45pm

Expected to Attend: Robin Lung; editor/producer Shirley Thompson; 11/15 Screening Only – subjects Mark Scott (son of Rey Scott) and Michelle Scott (granddaughter of Rey Scott)

Tags: docnyc.2016 docnyc, documentaries
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DOC NYC November 10-17, 2016

November 11th, 2016 by chocko

If you love movies, specifically documentaries and you happen to be in the NYC area, then drop what you’re doing and head downtown now and don’t make any other plans but to hunker down in a movie theater to soak it all in! The 7th Annual DOC NYC (America’s largest documentary festival) is in full effect starting November 10 to November 17. DOC NYC will feature more films and events than ever including panels, workshops for aspiring filmmakers and Q&A’s with filmmakers and special guests. Get your tickets and head over to either IFC Center (323 Sixth Ave at West Third Street), SVA Theatre (333 West 23rd Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues) or Cinepolis Chelsea (260 West 23rd Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues). Get caffeinated, grab some tasty snacks and sink into a comfy chair because there’s plenty to see, experience and learn!

The following are some short reviews of some DOC NYC films we’ve seen in advance. Keep checking for more updates and DOC NYC reviews.

WINTER AT WESTBETH
Dir: Rohan Spong
This movie spotlights three residents of the West Village’s Westbeth Artists Housing which used to be Bell Laboratories where great technological inventions were created such as television, radar, the vacuum tube and the development of the phonograph record. Westbeth Artists Housing has been home to a community of professional artists since 1970. Over the course of a year the movie follows 82-year-old writer Ilsa Gilbert. She is known as the “Poet Of Bleecker Street” facing mortality with an unrelenting creative drive. Another resident is 95-year-old filmmaker Edith Stephen who decided after being a dancer all her life, to start making movies at the age of 91. Lastly, the movie spotlights 75-year-old contemporary dancer Dudley Williams. A witty, force of nature and legendary dancer are some ways to describe Dudley. He has danced with some of the biggest modern choreographers such as Talley Beatty, Martha Graham and Alvin Ailey. Your eyes are glued to the screen and you listen to every word he says when he’s being filmed. He is very much the anchor of this moving film which I highly recommend if you are even a tad curious about the arts and the beautiful community housed at Westbeth.
WED NOV 16 5:00PM (IFC) + THU NOV 17 10:15AM (IFC)

RIKERS
Prods: Marc Levin, Mark Benjamin, Rolake Bamgbose
Rikers Island is NYC’s main jail complex located in The East River where prisoners await trial. Half of the detainees can’t afford bail which in some cases is only a few hundred dollars. 40% of prisoners suffer mental disorders. Corruption and prison abuse is an every day occurrence. Once a prisoner is in, he or she has to live under “The Program” which is a chain of command within the prison system run by gang members. The documentary is a putrid heap of nightmarish testimonials from former prisoners of a horrible place where violence rules and weakness is not tolerated. Survivors of Rikers Island recall tales of abuse, the humiliation of being strip searched, the inhumane conditions of solitary confinement, and sexual assault. The movie has a short running time at 64 minutes and deserves to be seen for it’s moving and powerful stories that puts a spotlight on the systemic violence and abuse within our prison systems.
SAT NOV 12 4:00PM (SVA)

CITIZEN JANE: BATTLE FOR THE CITY
Dir: Matt Tyrnauer
This documentary follows the trials and tribulations of Jane Jacobs, the author of The Death and Life of Great American Cities. She believed that cities were about people, foot traffic and public space which clashed with the beliefs of New York City’s most notorious power broker, Robert Moses. In the 1960’s Moses became a powerful figure in NYC and a proponent of modernist urban planning which accommodated automobiles but eliminated sidewalk culture and isolated communities. Moses was responsible for creating the Cross Bronx Expressway which pretty much chopped The Bronx in half and displaced families and thriving communities. Jane Jacobs went up against Moses when he proposed the Lower Manhattan Expressway which would have most of SOHO and Little Italy demolished. Moses also wanted to have Fifth Avenue run through Washington Square Park. Not in Jane’s house! This documentary opened DOC NYC which was also its US premiere and will be released in 2017.
THU NOV 10 7:00PM (SVA)

BANG! THE BERT BERNS STORY
Dir: Brett Berns
This documentary is about a relatively obscure record producer and prolific songwriter from The Bronx named Bert Berns. He penned huge monster hits in the 1960’s such as Twist And Shout, Hang On Sloopy, Here Comes The Night, Brown Eyed Girl and Piece Of My Heart and and produced many well loved soul records. Berns also helped Van Morrison and Neil Diamond early in their careers. The story of Bert Berns is amazing considering he only started in the record business when he was 31 and died at the early age of 38 due to a damaged heart from a childhood ailment. Stevie Van Zandt narrates this documentary which at times feels like a mobster movie chock full of shady characters, drama and backstabbings. The film also features interviews with Ben E. King, Van Morrison, Keith Richards and Paul McCartney. It’s a great, fast moving film which will make you tap your toes to the amazing soundtrack and laugh at some of the outrageous circumstances Berns finds himself in. It’s about time the story of Bert Berns is being told. Recommended!
FRI NOV 11 7:15PM (SVA)

FOREVER PURE
Dir: Maya Zinshtein
The documentary is about the most popular soccer team in Israel, Beitar Jerusalem Football Club and its rabid, loyal fans known as La Familia. La Familia takes great pride in their team, not only for their wins but for the fact that they had no Arabs play on their team. That all came to a screeching halt in 2012, when team owner Arcadi Gaydamak signs two Muslim players from Chechnya. All hell breaks loose when the young players hired to score more goals become targets of hate based on their religion. Not all, but many of La Familia reveal their true racist roots and their bigoted behavior in the stands, in the streets and online become detrimental to the team’s future. The movie is a shocking look at the effects of racism and ignorance which is just another reason to eradicate notions that it’s acceptable to judge somebody based on their appearance, sexuality or religion. This is definitely one of the important films to see at DOC NYC.
MON NOV 14 7:15PM (IFC)

Tags: cinema, Cinepolis Chelsea, doc nyc, documentary, film festival, IFC Center, movies, new york city, sva theatre, things to do
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Lauren Mayberry of CHVRCHES performed at Baby’s All Right

November 4th, 2016 by chocko

Lauren Mayberry at Baby’s All Right, November 3, 2016

Last month, UK synthpop band CHVRCHES played their biggest NYC show at Radio City Music Hall. Last night, Chvrches lead singer and recent NYC resident Lauren Mayberry played a considerably smaller stage as the musical guest of the comedy show “Heart Of Darkness” at Baby’s All Right in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The show features comedian Greg Barris and this latest edition also featured the comedy stylings of Dave Hill, Seth Herzog and Seaton Smith. As musical guest Lauren Mayberry performed 3 cover songs with the house band (Mother Of Three). First she performed “The Boys of Summer” (Don Henley), then “Brick” (Ben Folds Five) and after being interviewed by Barris and a smokin’ set by Seaton Smith, she ended the show with “Wrecking Ball” (Miley Cyrus) with Seth Herzog bum-rushing the stage in a Wonder Woman getup bouncing on a huge gym ball. More photos and videos below!

Dave Hill jammed with the house band and read his erotic short stories.

Seth Herzog killed it with his b-boy dance moves and disco entrance music, the theme song from the 70’s show “Wonder Woman”

Greg Barris interviewed Lauren Mayberry where she admitted to using the alias “Audrey Heartburn” to check into hotels on the sneak tip.

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Tags: baby's all right, brooklyn, Chvrches, comedy show, Dave Hill, Greg Barris, Lauren Mayberry, musical guest, new york city, nyc, Seth Herzog
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Chiller Theatre Spring 2016

October 28th, 2016 by chocko

Hey zombies and vampire girls! It’s Chiller Theatre time once again..a Halloween weekend celebration of all things horror, sci-fi and everything else in between. It’s the ultimate toy, model and film expo you don’t want to miss. Get out of your stanky crypt and head out to Parsippany, New Jersey and party with all the Frankenstein hippies and Big Foot freaks. Here’s a look back at Chiller Theatre in April 2016 through a ton of photos and some videos below of some of the musical guests. Rest in Peace to some respected figures that we always had a pleasure running into at Chiller: Ted V. Mikels, Herschell Gordon Lewis and most recently the Cool Ghoul, Zacherle who retired last year after being the host at Chiller Theatre for the past 25 years. They will all be sorely missed.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 Cosplay

1951 Ford F1 Sanford And Son Pickup Truck

Many strange things for sale at Chiller Theatre. Buy ’em all!

From the L.E.S. in NYC, Scumbags & Superstars. Killer shirts and patches.

One of the many guests at Chiller: “Weird Al” Yankovic.

Larry Storch of the late 60’s sitcom, F Troop.

Rocky Horror Picture Show cosplay. Don’t dream it, be it.

Still rocking and rolling: Chip Z’Nuff of Chicago band Enuff Z’Nuff.

Cherie Currie, lead vocalist of the Runaways and talented chainsaw artist.

I’m never gonna eat at Chiller after seeing this chef walking around.

Free flu shot anybody?

Chiller Auction with Hawaiian shirt connoisseur, Ted A. Bohus.

Fantasy artist and always friendly, Marianne Plumridge.

Ernest Thomas of 70’s sitcom, What’s Happening!!

Tara Reid of many films such as American Pie and Sharknado.

Merchandise at Erica Gavin’s table. That Russ Meyer’s Vixen shirt is dope!

Kadrolsha Ona Queen of The Paranormal. She ain’t afraid of no ghosts.

Mad Monster Party masks galore. Boris Karloff or Brute Force?

Bob Eggleton, Sci-Fi artist with a passion for landscape work and Godzilla.

Robert Pine, Larry Wilcox and Erik Estrada of CHiPs.

Kim Coates of Sons Of Anarchy chatting with fans.

Face paint in preparation of the Chiller Theatre Spring Rock & Roll Party which is always a highlight of the Expo. Check out some videos below of Special Musical Guests: Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork of The Monkees with songwriter Bobby Hart. See all you spooky pumpkinheads this weekend!

Tags: b-movies, chiller theatre, halloween, horror expo, horror movies, memorabilia, monster, movies, new jersey, nj
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Boogie down Bx Takeover – 2016 Tour de Bronx

October 25th, 2016 by Mr. C

(Starting line by Lehman College)

(A Bronx-Grand Concourse takeover! – the bridge is over,the bridge is over!)

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One of my favorite annual events in NYC not to mention that it’s also free is the Tour de Bronx currently on its 22nd year of operation! The Tour de Bronx is an organized bicycle ride cruising through the streets of where else – da Bronx! There are 2 routes bicyclists can choose either the 25 or 40 mile ride (technically 27 or 44 miles). I’ve been at the 25 mile version of the ride for the past 4 years but one of these years Alice, one of these years – banG Zoom – to the 40 mile Bronx moon! This year’s ride which was just last Sunday yielded about 7000 bicyclists according to the Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. He’s what I call a hands on leader. Besides welcoming the riders and MC’ing the event, you can also find Ruben Diaz bicycling alongside you on the Tour! That is pretty inspirational to the community if you ask me! Tell me what other borough president, mayor, council person, or government official does that! Hell, the Mayor of NYC – Deblasio has been reported of taking helicopter rides to get from borough to borough!

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(I parked my cage on Southern Boulevard across the street from the Botanical Garden. Getting the mini-circus clown bike ready!)

(Riding up on Bedford Park Blvd en route to Lehman College. Contemplating on loading up with fuel here)

(The frustration is real at 8am Harris Field/Lehman College check-in!)

(After check-in, peeking in on a Motorcycle riding class across the street)

(Old reliable Honda Rebel on the left / Harley Davidson Street on right)

(Queuing up – getting ready – And we’re off!)

(Ruben Diaz jr – Bronx Borough President hyping up the crowd!)

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Instead of the starting point of the Tour de Bronx being by the Bronx Supreme Court building not far from Yankee Stadium, this year’s ride opening will now be at Harris Field by Lehman College which is going in the complete opposite direction of the South Bronx! How did I like the change? I thought it was a great idea minus a few growing pains with the check-in process at the ball field! The bottleneck at the start of the ride is not an issue now at the new location start at Goulden Ave / Bedford as in years prior in the South Bronx. The bottleneck the organizers do have to iron out now is with the check-in process of the riders trying to enter into the park to get their paperwork for the ride. All in all, the switching and tweaking of the route of the tour was a great idea! One of my favorite parts of the ride was the new addition of shutting down a tremendous chunk of the Grand Concourse (From 193rd St to 138th st) of vehicular traffic and letting the riders ride through! It was gnarly surfing through a main thoroughfare in the Bronx such as the Grand Concourse and seeing amazing sites along the way such as the historic Paradise Theatre, the Kingsbridge Armory, The Bronx Museum of the Arts, The Andrew Freedman Home, & probably many others that I might have missed! Another ride favorite moment of mine was also on the Grand Concourse when we made a left onto 138th Street underneath the ramp which headed into the Deegan expressway. The archway of the elevated ramp and the sight of the street art/mural on the wall when making that left underneath the overpass was really cool! The normal rest stops at Crotona Park, the Castle Hill YMCA, and the Pelham Bay Nature center remained the same. There was some slight tweaking of the route that I noticed but in general, the streets and neighborhoods we rode into were mainly the same as in years past. Riding the bike path greenways along the Bronx river is always a rock steady favorite of mine as well! The Bronx Botanical Garden was the anchor endpoint of the ride as usual! I want to thank the Tour de Bronx bike organizers, Ruben Diaz Junior, and those that participated in this event which made this such a great day of riding and appreciating what we have all around us! See y’all next year – god willing!

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(Shortly leaving the start line at Lehman College, we run into the Kingsbridge Armory on the left – a National landmark and a mighty impressive structure! Have never ever seen an Armory this big! Not the greatest angle of the Armory. Must see in person!)

(After the Kingsbridge Armory, we make a right on Jerome Ave with elevated “4” subway train tracks above us)

(We got on the Grand Concourse on 193rd Street & we are taking over the streets from 193rd st down to 138th!)

(The historic Paradise Theatre, now also a Church)

(The last time we were inside the Paradise Theatre was for a Babyface & Tank concert. Stunning interior design & architecture)

(Further down the Grand Concourse on 166th st is the Andrew Freedman Home – mural by Panmela Castro – Kool Herc is still watching!)

(We make a left on 138th St off the Grand Concourse – pretty cool mural underneath the overpass to the Deegan)

(Crotona Park – rest stop)

(a customized Schwinn bike)

(Industrial section of West Farms Road)

(Heading towards Starlight Park along the Bronx River greenway)

(The YMCA in Castle Hill rest stop in sight – Whitestone Bridge in sight)

(YMCA rest stop)

(View of the Whitestone Bridge from the grounds of the Castle Hill YMCA)

(A few cutie Yorkies on the Tour de Bronx)

(last rest stop at Pelham Bay Nature Center)

(We are on the final leg of the tour)

(Bronx Botanical Garden – finish line in sight!)

(The End!)

Tags: #TDB16, #tourdebronx, 2016 tour de bronx, bicycling, bicycling nyc, cycling, nyc, tour de bronx
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The Ghost Of Uncle Joe’s 2016

October 24th, 2016 by chocko

What better way to celebrate the Halloween season than with a good old fashioned get down in a cemetery with food, drinks and music? What began as an annual event to pay homage to a long gone, favorite Jersey City bar, The Ghost Of Uncle Joe’s has become a fundraiser for The Historic Jersey City and Harsimus Cemetery. The cemetery dates back to 1829 but historically it was the site of Revolutionary War rumbles and during the War of 1812, the cemetery housed an ammunition bunker which still stands there today. In 2008, the cemetery fell into some hard times of disrepair and neglect but with a new Board of Trustees and the help of volunteers and good people that put together fundraising events, the historic grounds are back in full effect and worthy of a visit. Last Sunday, costumed freaks, fiends and ghouls of all ages came to party and do the monster mash with bands covering singers and bands such as Bikini Kill, Alice Cooper, The Strokes, Motley Crue and David Bowie. Check out Chocko’s photos and a video of “The Strokes” from GOUJ16 below!

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Tags: 2016, costumes, cover bands, GOUJ16, halloween, Harsimus Cemetery, jersey city, new jersey, The Ghost Of Uncle Joe's, The Historic JC
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Hong Kong photos

September 4th, 2016 by Mr. C

(Bruce Lee statue at Tsim Tsa Tui in Kowloon)

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In 2007, I took a week long trip to Hong Kong to visit family and friends. I brought about 10 rolls of 120 medium format film (8 color/2 B&W) to capture shots with my Holga camera. Believe it or not, I just got the film developed last week! Yes, I was cringing to the fact that I was storing these 10 rolls of film in a non-ideal environment, in a plastic bag – in my room – for almost 9 years?!

Why shoot still photography in film especially in 120 medium format and why the Holga camera? First, I chose the Holga camera because it was the most basic and most anti-technology as you can get. The Holga is basically just a toy camera that was manufactured in China circa 1981, made almost entirely of plastic, and some even have plastic lenses. It was designed for the chinese consumer as a low-budget, everyday kind of camera for capturing family photos and portraits, but has since gathered a cult following. The Holga was simply a cheap camera with a plastic low-contrast lens that produced soft (often blurry) images with edge vignetting and uncontrollable light leaks! The low-fi look and unpredictable results made capturing images fun again! I tried messing with getting multiple exposures on a single shot which was mucho fun! I have a few photos below that have the multiple exposure look!

I thought using the Holga with 120 film would be a pretty cool way to document my trip in an organic fashion, not worrying about getting the perfect shot but to instead just be in the moment of the scene and background without being intrusive with the latest and greatest camera technology and bazooka zoom lens to distract the subject I was trying to capture. To make up for the low fidelity look, using the bigger size and more superior film like the 120 increases the size of the film negative which allows for much more resolution and detail. Using the inferior Holga camera with the superior 120 film compared to 35mm sounds like a contradiction and it is but the combination of the two makes a certain aesthetic effect that is very nostalgic and appealing! The only drawback of using 120 film is the availabilty and cost of developing the film.

Please enjoy the photos above & below that I captured with my Holga/120 film combo!

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(Class is in session at HK park in Kowloon)

(Ride up to Big Buddha)

(The shot of the multiple exposure technique I was talking about)

(Another shot of the multiple exposure technique at Kung Fu corner in HK park in Kowloon)

(guys at the outdoor kiosk meat stand wasn’t too happy to see me!)

(with the old and traditional come the modern)

(this is what we call scaffolding. In HK, it’s done with bamboo poles!)

Tags: 120 film, black and white, holga, hong kong, low fi, photos
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ToyConNJ 5 Event Review

September 1st, 2016 by chocko

Last weekend Chocko explored the world of ToyConNJ5 located in Parsippany, New Jersey where toy collectors and game enthusiasts gather to pick up new and vintage collectibles. It was my first time at ToyConNJ and it was an impressive show which features 3 large vendor rooms filled with tables of toys of all genres, movies, original art, model kits, board games,…there really was something for everybody. The hallways were filled with tables of action figures and more toys and there was also a room devoted to video games, pinball machines and gaming. ToyConNJ6 is happening on the weekend of November 12 and 13 at P.A.L., 33 Baldwin Rd, Parsippany, NJ. That might be a good time to start shopping for the holidays. Now you know, and knowing is half the battle!

This motorized Godzilla is a replica of what was used to make some of the movies. It cost more than my car. The friendly vendor (cool vibes all around at ToyCon!) also had a motorized Mothra larvae for sale!

There were plenty of horror collectibles in the house including Freddy Kreuger from Nightmare On Elm Street and Monster Scenes model kits.

Here is an Oddjob action figure from the 1960’s. The character from the James Bond movie, Goldfinger known for slinging his deadly derby, was played by Toshiyuki “Harold” Sakata who also threw his hat into the ring (no pun intended) as a professional wrestler under the name Tosh Togo.

Halloween is just around the corner, ghouls…time to get creepy!

Handmade in New Jersey, Muckychris (lead singer of Jersey hardcore thrashers Mucky Pup!) makes all sorts of objects with a MakerBot Replicator 3D printer. The Zen Buddhas, a mashup of Buddhas and pop culture, have to be seen to believe. Winnie The Pooh-dha?!? Oh, bother.

If you think ToyConNJ and collecting toys is Child’s Play, guess again!

Sweet vendors, Larry and Sue have an impressive Disney collection that’s nothing to sneeze at. Why buy a 3D printer when you can get a 1935 Mickey Mouse Print Shop? Cool piece made in Elizabeth, NJ. Oh, boy!

The first thing I saw pulling into the parking lot was Cobra Commander walking around. No need to call Snake Eyes or yell out “YOOO JOE!” before pulling out a rocket launcher out of the trunk, it’s cosplay and Costume Contest Saturday! Anime, super heroes, super villains and Star Wars’ Kylo Ren were in attendance and happy to pose for the camera.

Gilligan’s Island was a favorite television show in our household growing up and this toy was floating around in our bathtub at some point. The complete set was at the show for $85. That’s a lotta coconuts! More pics of toys from childhood below including Secret Wars Tower of Doom!

As soon as you enter the Game Room, I couldn’t help but notice the animatronic band perhaps rescued from a Showbiz Pizza Place? Looks like they’ve seen better days but still awesome to see in person again. There were pinball machines lined up and ready to play, virtual reality games and video game consoles set up for gamers down for some 8bit action. There were also tables filled with miniature figures and mostly dudes rolling dice and playing Warhammer 40K Megabattle. Hardcore stuff!

These aren’t the toys you’re looking for. You want to go down the hall and make a left for the Iron Horse Cinema fan films program.

Total fun times at ToyConNJ5! There were door prizes every half hour, Ghostbusters and Ectocooler outside along with pony rides for the kids and so much more. Can’t wait for ToyCon6 in November. See you there!

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Tags: action figures, collectibles, new jersey, nj, parsipanny, toy convention, ToyConNJ, ToyConNJ5, toys
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British Invasion!

August 28th, 2016 by Mr. C

(British grocery store – Myers of Keswick on Hudson Street in the West Village)

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Yesterday, the Planet Chocko hopping vampires signed up for a free bike tour of what I thought was a cruise around Upper Manhattan by 86th St and East river/Carl Shurz Park and then perhaps a dip into Central Park. But I was pleasantly surprised! We ended up crossing over to the borough of Queens via the 59th Street Bridge, casually cruised through Queensbridge & Long Island City to our final destination – Roosevelt Island! I’ve been to Roosevelt Island numerous times by Tram but never via bicycle across the Roosevelt Island bridge. It would be a great way to tour the Island!

(Sayanora Manhattan – Queens by all means! 59th St bridge!)

Our host and guide of the bicycle tour was foldup bicycle experts – NYCe Wheels on East 58th Street/1st Ave! The weapons of choice for the bike ride is arguably the most well built & diminuitive foldup bicycle setup in existence today – Made 100% in London,England – The Brompton! They’ve been around since 1975 ! I’ve been enjoying my Dahon (Taiwanese) foldup bicycle since 2003 amongst the NYC streets, NJ bike paths, & bike tours like the 5 Borough Bike Ride and the Tour De Bronx but last year I had the itch for the Brit! I picked up my first Brompton 6 speed 1.5 years ago and I’m enjoying it more and more as I discover its nuances and personality everytime I take it out for a spin. If you’re remotely interested in the culture & functionality of foldup bicycles, the folks at NYCe Wheels are a great resource to go to.

(Gathering the crew and making sure the bikes are a go at NYCE Wheels)

(This is my little foldup Brit for the day! A 2 speed Brompton wishing I had more gears but it will suffice!)

Before all the bicycling would commence, we would fuel up our zombie hardbodies with some snacks. Since it’s a British Invasion theme, we stopped at Myers of Keswick, a traditional British Grocery store in NYC since 1985 ! Lots of scrumptious looking english goodies including savory pies like the steak & ale,pork pie,scotch eggs,lamb curry pie, & shepherds pie don the refrigerated case! We got the pork pie and it was as homemade and country as England can get! Myers of Keswick is a neat timewarp of a grocery store with the old wooden fridge with beverages in the back and old school butcher shop cabinets from a bygone era. This English bodega must bring a lot of homesick British ex-pats a lot of smiles and comforts from back home! I must try those bangers(sausages) at Myers of Keswick next time!

(savory english pies of all kinds! Steak & Ale,Curried Lamb)