an online editorial about cultural entrepreneurship*
Nature is not a place we visit on weekends. It’s not a destination that’s separate from our everyday selves. Increasingly people see nature as an essential part of who we are. We are natural when we… eat fresh from greenmarkets on Grand Street, play polo on bikes in Roosevelt Park on Chrystie Street and graffiti fauna and flora on the streets. In today’s modern world, we continually discover ways to bring nature back.
In Lower Manhattan with a Chinatown that seems increasingly borderless, a Venetian wine bar and osteria makes a cloistered stand. On one of the least known NYC streets, Division Street, the owner-chef of Nolita’s Peasant restaurant has opened Bacaro. The pièce de résistance is the subterranean level of brick niches lit by candlelight. The food is classic Italian from the Venezia region, small plate-style.
Bacaro:: 212.941.5060 :: 136 Division Street, between Ludlow and Orchard at the very south end of these streets
In a society self-absorbed in getting from point A to point B, it takes a lot to pull our attention away. 22-year-old photographer Kevin Michael Connolly travels the world documenting the stares he receives from bystanders, as a man born without legs. Connolly says, “Whether it is a glance or a neck twisting ogle, we look at that which does not seem to fit in our day to day lives. It is that one instant of unabashed curiosity – more reflex than conscious action – that makes us who we are and has been on of my goals to capture over the past year.”
therollingexhibition.com :: kevinmichaelconnolly.com
Local favorite, Barrio Chino, sits in the heart of the Lower Lower East Side. Its name (which means Chinese hood) is inspired by the neighborhood known for its immigrant heritage - where today Chinese, Latino and hipster cultures meet.
The communal interior is accented by chinoiserie decor of paper lanterns and dynastic portraiture. The menu is authentic Mexican with over 50 varieties of agave tequila meant for sipping, antojitos appetizers of tacos and one of the best guacamoles in town.
Barrio Chino :: 212.228.6710 :: 253 Broome Street, between Ludlow and Orchard
Wallpaper is no longer your grandmother’s meaningless pastel flowers. Increasingly, avant-garde designers are using wallpaper as their new canvas/soapbox. Studio Printworks creates beautiful images on provocative subjects. In “Spying on China,” a classic Chinoiserie layout is used to depict America’s 2001 politically embarrassing event. “Suburban Garden” demonstrates how illicit recreational motifs can exist in the most genteel environment. Look closely!
