Coney Island is my summer staple, despite Thor Equities’ attempts to tear the place up. Either way, some things (thankfully) never change and I was able to scream my lungs out on The Cyclone and enjoy the view from a swinging car on Deno’s Wonder Wheel .
I rarely ever make it out to Brooklyn because from the Bronx, it’s essentially a day trip totaling up to 2 hours to some parts of the borough. Last Saturday, I set out to the Brooklyn Museum to partake in the Target Free First Saturday event. When I first walked in, hoards of people were crowding around a jazz ensemble, the Fat Afro Latin Jazz Cats. I stuck around for a few of their songs including, “Jumping Pumpkins” by Duke Ellington. Considering that most of them are probably under the age of 17, it was a really impressive show. There were some horrible Bebe’s kids running around, but luckily the music was able to keep my attention.
I was thoroughly blown away by the museum as a whole. I had no idea it was so big and had such an expansive collection of unique artifacts. My favorites were Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera, the Native American collection, and The Dinner Party.
Giant Teepee
Psychadelic Photo Inside the Teepee
Afterward, I had a small, but delicious dinner at Abigail’s. Upon perusing their website a little while ago, it sounds like they have some really great stuff to offer, including poetry slams and salsa nights. While I was there, Gillian Harwin and her band provided some soulful, jazzy background music.
This was a full day, but it didn’t stop after Abigail’s. Afterward, I headed to Terraza 7 Train Cafe in Queens. By far, this is the most unique venue I’ve ever been to. The live band performs atop a narrow platform on the second floor, which also has sort of mini-amphitheater type seating. Despite my appearance and last name, I really don’t speak much Spanish at all, so I did feel a little lost among all the excitement, but I could tell there was a real positive vibe here.
Band at Terraza 7 Train Cafe
Believe it or not, aside from the museum, the rest of the day was completely spontaneous and I ended up hearing some really great music.
Be sure to check out my profile of PeaceLove Cafe, another great venue that features live music among other awesome things!
