Big-Wigs Party in the Hamptons for SoBro (Updated)

I know, I know... you're probably annoyed seeing the old "SoBro" acronym up in the title of this post. BoogieDowner has not broken its promise to banish the use of the real estate buzz term for the South Bronx. SoBro in this case stands for: The South Bronx Overall Economic Corporation, an organization which has been working for over 30 years to improve various quality of life issues in the South Bronx. (Although, interestingly enough, if you try to match up the letters in their acronym to the actual letters in the official name of the organization, it doesn't all quite work out...)

Anyhoo, imagine our surprise when we got a Google Alert informing us that the Bronx was mentioned on http://www.hamptons.com/ - swanky! Turns out the South Bronx Overall Economic Corporation held their 36th Anniversary Gala Dinner and Auction out in the land of the wealthy, (ummm, yeah, we got that wrong - see update below) and tons of big-wigs turned up to toast the organization's accomplishments. By "big-wigs" we basically mean Bill Evans, the comedically blessed weatherman on Channel 7. He's wrong about the weather half the time because he's usually too busy making fun of Joe Nolan, the portly traffic guy, but we love him anyway.

BoogieDowner thinks it's pretty funny that a gala celebrating improvements in the South Bronx was held all the way out in the freaking Hamptons. But hey, you gotta go where the bucks flow, right? (Again, see update... you basically just shouldn't believe anything you read on this site.)

We're really hoping this blingy post gets us a linky-loo from http://www.guestofaguest.com/... It's not everyday we get to talk about galas, Bill Evans, and the Hamptons all in one post.

Click here to check out the story.

UPDATE: Well, here's another example of how we're piss-poor bloggers: we totally goofed on the locale of this shindig... It was held at the New York Hilton. Additional celebs in attendance were Charlie Rangel, Bill Thompson, Darryl Strawberry, Councilman Robert Jackson and Chancellor Joel Klein among others.

*Photo of the dapperly clad Bill Evans courtesy of http://www.hamptons.com/*

~ErLu

Survey Results Confirm We Were Losers for Using the Term "SoBro"

Okay, this is the day you've all been waiting for... the results are in on BoogieDowner's super scientific poll entitled "Do you detest the term SoBro?"

The poll confirms that the majority of readers (62% to be precise) do indeed hate the moniker "SoBro." Read that word again... because it's the last time you'll see it used here on the BoogieDowner.

That's right... Like the Postal Service, we deliver for you. You talk, we listen. The South Bronx will remain the South Bronx.

These polls are sorta fun... Do you guys have any ideas for a new one?

*Sexy legs courtesy of http://deprogramminghour.com*

~ErLu

Listing of the day: SoBro Rental

147 Bruckner Blvd, 2 Bedroom - $1,125/month

So as a follow up to our post and poll about the use of the term SoBro, here's a Listing of the Day that uses the term. The actual agent listing uses the term so we're running with it. This apartment is a little further east than what one would consider the "hipper" parts of Mott Haven (meaning the double digit addresses of Bruckner Blvd. over near Alexander Ave and the 3rd Avenue Bridge), but look at this price!

When BoogieDowner stumbled upon this listing, we were expected a flophouse type of dwelling - maybe something above a live poultry shop - a galleteria if you will. Seriously, a 2 bedroom for less than $1200 in any hood usually means there is some grave deficiency in the unit.

From our meticulous inspection of the interweb pictures and craigslist post, we couldn't find an obvious catch. I mean they had me with the exposed brick wall. I'm a sucker for that stuff. And I am not sure where those stairs lead to (or from), but they seem pretty unique. Then again it could just be the lobby that has a stairway with no railing...hmmm...Which way to the gallerteria?

Transportation is reasonably close with the 6 train at Cypress and 137th.

Full Listing

~ErLu

Best Quote So Far on "SoBro"

BoogieDowner reader "Charley" just left the following quote on the "SoBro" post:

"SoBro just sounds awkward to me. Not every neighborhood can become a portmanteau.
Before you know it you will be able to go from SoBro, north through MoHi, hit BePa and then end up in KiBri..."

This might actually be the best anti-"SoBro" explanation we've heard thus far. Thanks Charley!

~ErLu

What's in a Name?

Apparently a heck of a lot, according to one South Bronx community activist (who shall remain nameless) who doesn't like the term "SoBro." Actually, it may even be more accurate to say he detests the nickname his South Bronx hood, asking us not to use it because it is a "moniker of gentrification."

As anyone who reads BoogieDowner knows, we frequently refer to South Bronx as "SoBro." With our main goal being changing the negative PR image of the Bronx, we just think it's better to use the name "SoBro," as people who are kinda dumb and stuck in the 70s think of fires, murders and looting when they here "South Bronx." It's also shorter and cuter looking in a sentence.

We want to here from the readers out there: Are we annoying the crap out of you every time we write "SoBro?" Would you rather us just say "South Bronx" and leave the "SoBro" nickname to the real estate agents?

With the countdown to the presidential election on, BoogieDowner wants to rally the troops with a little poll of our own. Let us know how you feel about the term "SoBro" by voting on this issue in the upper-right hand side of the page. MAYBE, just MAYBE if enough of you guys hate the nickname we'll stop using it...

Let's also get some comments going on this issue.

*Those are actually my legs - I took a self portrait of them this morning in the living room... I've been working out*

**Psych!!!! Those aren't my legs... gotcha! Sexy legs courtesy of http://deprogramminghour.com**

~ErLu

A Nightmarish Trip Down Memory Lane

You must check out the video below from famed street and multimedia artist, John Fekner. The 3 minute video was uploaded yesterday by Wooster Collective, a site "dedicated to showcasing and celebrating ephemeral art placed on streets in cities around the world."

This video highlights rare stenciled images from the South Bronx in the 70s and 80s, along with voice over political commentary.

Good stuff.


Another 4 Years (Edit08) from john fekner on Vimeo.

~ErLu

SoBro Swank

The Gallery Lounge in Mott Haven has been on my list since it first opened about six months ago. But every time I stopped by, it was closed. Hmmmm....not a good sign I thought to myself. The problem was I was under the very mistaken impression that it was a restaurant, which it is not - it's a CLUB! This past Wednesday, my friend Karen and I took part in the Bronx Trolley Tour and after hitting most of the cultural hot spots of the South Bronx, we stopped in to finally check out The Gallery (again, thinking it was a restaurant). Unfortunately for the staff (but great for us!) an event that was supposed to take place that evening had been cancelled and we pretty much had the place to ourselves (and got tons of Scoop from the very friendly bartender - Joe). Apparently, this place is packed when open and comes complete with all those things that gives most of us over-forties the shivers: rope lines, body guards, disco balls, VIP rooms, ear-splitting music and bottle service (though with prices starting at $200 a bottle, the Bronx once again is a clear Bargain compared to our over-priced neighbors to the south, where the same liquid pleasure (and price of entry) will set you back at least double that amount).

So, lucky us - we were able to enjoy the place in relative peace and quiet, drink a few martinis, eat some great sushi, talk to the staff and just soak in all of the fun (and toned down!) music, local artwork and fantastic LED light displays that brings a little bit of South Beach to the South Bronx!

So, all you young ones out there - have at it! (The rest of us old poops will probably want to stick to Alexander's Cafe, The Bruckner Bar and Grill, Sweetwaters, etc...)

~Simone Davis

http://www.thebronxrocks.com/

Workin' for the Weekend

Okay, we know many of you out there are reading BoogieDowner right now because you have a case of the Monday's and are trying to avoid looking at your to-do list... Which is why we want to lift your spirits by alerting you to a super-cool event happening this weekend in SoBro!

The first annual SBX Film Festival will be taking place this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in the Mott Haven section of SoBro. There are too many events to even mention in this post, which is why you should click here to check out their website for all the nitty-gritty details. But a few highlights of the weekend will be a kick-off party Friday at 6pm at Bruckner Bar & Grill, followed by opening night shorts, and a street arts festival Saturday from 12pm to 6pm at 1 Bruckner Blvd. and Third Avenue, complete with art vendors and a DJ spinning hip-hop and house music. The night will end with an outdoor screening of the Bronx classic "Krush Groove."

There are tons of other films being screened and events happening Saturday and Sunday at Bruckner Bar & Grill, as well as Haven Arts Gallery, SoBro Studios, Pregones Theatre, and G-Bar. Cost is only $10 per day for all events, or $5 if you have a student ID. Check out their site for more details. We will be out of town for the weekend, but would love if a BoogieDowner reader would attend and send in some pics and thoughts on the weekend!

~ErLu

Ewh.

We don't know if we should be applauding, tossing our cookies, or yelling obscenities about this report from the New York Times' Sewell Chan detailing the latest step in the city's anti-smoking campaign.

The city will be giving out matchbooks emblazoned with disturbing images of tumors, tooth decay, and blackened lungs.

The following is from the Times article:

"The matchbooks, part of the “Eating You Alive” advertising campaign unveiled this year, are being distributed free at 132 cigarette retailers in the South Bronx, central and East Harlem and northern and central Brooklyn — neighborhoods where smoking has not decreased to the degree it has in other parts of the city." [NY Times, Sewell Chan]

The campaign itself, although gross, makes sense and may be effective in helping smokers kick the habit. However, why not just give them out all over the city? It can't be that expensive to manufacture and distribute these things. And smokers on the Upper West Side (even if there are less of them) need to quit just as badly as those on Willis Avenue in SoBro.

I dunno, seems to me like the campaign is perpetuating the stereotypical image of the ghetto by singling out these historically marginalized hoods, rather than just canvassing the whole city. Something tells me the residents of swanky co-ops along Fifth Avenue in Manhattan wouldn't want these nasty matchbooks turning into litter on their streets and there would be an outpouring of protest. What do you guys think? Sometimes we overreact here at the BoogieDowner... are we getting uppity over nothing?

*Image courtesy of NYC DOHMH*

~ErLu

The Real SoBro

Lots of people have very different ideas in their heads when you say "South Bronx." From our experiences while posting on and reading other NYC message boards and blogs, it seems some people imagine SoBro is still burning, while others continue to think there are 80's style roving gangs of criminals looking to steal your hubcaps.

Below are a few images from our walking tour this weekend which will dispell any urban myths about what Mott Haven looks like. We would have liked to snap more pics, but the 8 month old was a bit fussy and clearly has not developed a healthy appreciation for architecture yet!

St. Jerome's Roman Catholic Church, Alexander Avenue

Devotion to Mary, St. Jerome's Roman Catholic Church, Alexander Avenue

View up E. 138th Street from Alexander Avenue

Lovingly maintained home on E. 139th Street

Beautiful townhouses on E. 140th Street

Gorgeous floor-to-ceiling window in townhouse on Alexander Avenue

Is This Another Case of the Unloved Borough Getting the Shaft?

We came across this insane alternate side street parking regulation sign on 134th Street and Third Avenue in SoBro this weekend.

According to the cute little stars and moon sign, if you want the privilege of parking there you'll have to set the old alarm and find another spot for your vehicle between the ungodly hours of 12am and 3am on Thursday mornings.

I will never, ever complain about Bedford Park's 11:30am to 1pm street cleaning again. Okay, that's a lie. I will always complain about alternate side parking. Especially when the shee-shee-foo-foo Upper East Siders in Manhattan only have to move their cars for a total of 20 minutes. Money talks people.

Anyway, does anyone know if this midnight street cleaning is something that BoogieDowner should be especially peeved about? Does this night regulation exist anywhere in Manhattan, or in gentrified areas of Brooklyn? Or does the DOT just like to screw people living in marginalized hoods?

~ErLu

Listing of the Day: Super Cheap SoBro Artist's Loft

700 E. 134th Street, $1375/month

Granted, it looks like the address of this loft lands it closer to the mostly industrial and still sorta shady Port Morris section of SoBro, but it also appears to be within walking distance of all the other hipster amenities found on Alexander Avenue. Everybody knows that in order to get a good deal, you need to look on the fringes of already revitalized areas, right? Right.

Plus, look at this place... Exposed brick walls, hardwood floors throughout, renovated kitchen complete with stainless steel appliances, and tons of natural light. Basically, this loft would allow you to have the street cred of a struggling artist living on a shoestring budget in SoBro, while actually having an apartment that looks as if it's better suited for the yuppies you've fled to the BoogieDown to escape.

According to this New York Times article, the fact that there's already a working shower may actually turn some artsy folks off this place... But I think most people would agree that a working shower is a pretty sweet thing to have.

View full listing here.

~ErLu

New York Times Confirms the Hotness

Back in June, the New York Times ran an article by Seth Kugel, "The Bronx is More Than Just Yankee Stadium," which basically confirms everything that the BoogieDowner preaches about our beloved borough.

Yes, this article is old news. But it came out before BoogieDowner was in existence, so I thought it was worth providing a linky-loo to it for our millions of devoted readers (well, maybe more like hundreds, but it's a start) who may have missed it. Towards the bottom of the article, you'll find some key visitor information summing up places you should check out in SoBro.

*Photo of Gallery Lounge on Bruckner Blvd. courtesy of Robert Caplin/NY Times*

~ErLu

Brooklyn Hipsters are Mean

I just thought this post on Curbed.com was funny:

Real World Brooklyn vs. Hipsters —
The Real World Brooklyn cast was spotted at a Semi Precious Weapons show at Rebel on Monday, which is interesting, but the fun part is the complaint voiced by cast member Chet Bannon, who is the Mormon among them. He said: "When we go to Williamsburg we get harassed. The hipsters throw things at us and say 'Why are you here? Go home!' Ten years ago none of them were there either." He looked hurt and wondered, 'Why are the hipsters so small minded?'" [NYPress; Real World Coverage] [from http://www.curbed.com/ and NY Press]

Ha! In one sentence this guy managed to sum up everything I cannot stand about BillBurg hipsters. Boy oh boy would the Real World cast have had fun in the BoogieDown. SoBro businesses would be fawning all over them hoping for 10 minutes of fame not associated with the "Bronx is Burning" stereotype. They could have experienced all the good stuff about NYC, minus the Brooklyn 'tudes. I guess the Real World cast should just consider themselves lucky that they haven't been attacked with machetes yet.

~ErLu

The Hunt: BoogieDowner Breakdown

BoogieDowner had a bit of a hangover this weekend, thus the lateness of bringing you our breakdown of this weekend's New York Times "Hunt." Better late than never though!

Hunt Honey Joyce Cohen chronicles a Californian transplant's search for an apartment for $2,500/month. Adam Cunningham, 25, needed to relocate to New York for his job in the entertainment field.

His $2,500/month secured him a 515-square-foot studio apartment down in the Wall Street area. I'm not sure I've ever even been in a space that tiny - must be a bit of a shock to someone who lived in a loft space in California.

After looking at a studio apartment on the Upper East Side, Mr. Cunningham was disappointed with the neighborhood: “I wanted something more downtown, more edgy, more organic,” he said. “I don’t mean Whole Foods. I mean artistically forward.” [New York Times]

I'm not sure how artistically forward or edgy the Wall Street crowd is, but Mr. Cunningham seems quite happy with his sunny new conversion building, complete with yet to be finished lounge and gym, and even wash-and-fold laundry service. Not sure how organic the building sounds, but nice amenities for sure! Congrats, and welcome to NYC Mr. Cunningham... Now that you've been in the NY Times Real Estate section, I'm sure you'll have people lining up to go to the theatre with you!

Of course, since we are the BoogieDowner, we must compare what this hunter would have found around his price point had he looked in the city's edgiest borough, The Bronx:

Mr. Cunningham would have loved the edgy art scene that defines the Mott Haven/SoBro neighborhood that is home to this beautiful newly renovated 3 bedroom apartment. He could have tripled his space for the same monthly rent of $2,500. While I'm sure there is no wash-and-fold laundry service in this place, it does have a washer/dryer right in the apartment itself (something most New Yorker's would kill for), as well as a newly renovated kitchen, exposed brick walls, hardwood floors, and even a new marble bathroom with soaking tub. Swanky! See full listing here.

Okay, so maybe Mr. Cunningham doesn't need three whole bedrooms for just himself... So how about this gorgeous newly renovated two bedroom apartment in a landmarked brownstone in the same Mott Haven nabe? The description of this place says "convertible three bedroom," so I'm guessing there's some nice flex-space that can be used as an office or something like that. Check out the kitchen in this place... Pretty insane for $2,500/month. The place also has two marble baths with jacuzzi soaking tub and a built-in 47-inch plasma tv. Okay, not sure how organic the 47-inch plasma tv is, but the place also has garden access! See full listing here.

For $2,150/month, Mr. Cunningham could be enjoying coastal living in this City Island two bedroom/two bath condo. Complete with jacuzzi tub, stainless steel appliances, and a washer/dryer, this place is right on the water and even has a roof deck. And yes, those are actual sailboats in the picture showing the view from the living room. Admittedly, the commute to midtown on the express bus would be a pain in the arse... but you don't get more organic than life in this seaside community in the Bronx. Great restaurants and beautiful views at a bargain price. View full listing here.

*Hunt photo courtesy of Hiroko Massuike for the New York Times*

~ErLu

SoBro a No Go? Say it Aint So...

Obviously the credit crunch is hitting everyone and everywhere. The South Bronx is no exception. The Real Deal has written an insightful article about the touch-and-go gentrification of the South Bronx.

South Bronx Buzz Fizzles: Gentrification on Hold [Real Deal]

While it seems the Real Deal does not share the same unbridled optimism about the Bronx as the Boogiedowner does - way to pass on the koolaid Dealy - there were some notable aspects of Christopher Faherty's article. Here they are:

On the proximity to Midtown and Billburgy-ness (but only cooler):

"Closer to Midtown than most of Harlem, the South Bronx bursts at the seams with warehouses reminiscent of Williamsburg and Red Hook. It's dotted with landmark-designated blocks throughout the neighborhoods that make up the southern tip of SoBro — Mott Haven, Port Morris and parts of the Grand Concourse."

On the Hope for Hip-Strip Alexander Avenue (Corcoran is involved, and they don't hustle garbage):

"Investors and homeowners living on or near Alexander Avenue in Mott Haven, one of the few townhouse-lined streets in all of the Bronx, are abuzz over eight new properties that recently hit the market. The properties, which make up about half of the homes in a three-block corridor, were recently put on the market after local landlord John Carney died earlier this year, listing agent Adrian Thompkins said. While Thompkins, of Corcoran, described Carney as a wonderful man, he said the properties had fallen into disrepair, and said locals are excited about the prospect of new buyers and renovations. "

We can find the silver lining through anything, huh? Buy now, buy low, make lots of dough.

~ErLu

Scientific Evidence that SoBro is the Hotness

As further evidence that the South Bronx is the hippest thing to hit NYC since the "stay-cation" and the hideous rubber "Crocs" sandal/shoe hybrid, Osiris, the maker of the Bronx sneaker, has now come out with a South Bronx version, which features bolder colors and slightly lowered high-top for men and women. The sneaker is a top seller among skaters, however it is now a top seller among the trend-setters for the fall season, and we can see why!

Here's a quote from a local Osiris South Bronx sneaker aficionado: "When you're in da greatest city in da world, you gotta rock da blocks wearin' da Osiris South Bronx Skate Shoe. Why, you ask? Cuz one, dese hi-tops keep your ankles covered and your fashion fresh, while the comfortable cupsole grabs your deck like a mugger grabbin' your wallet. And two, if Uncle Vinny sees you wearin' anything else, he'll send Rodrigo over to bust your freakin' knee caps!"

We couldn't agree more.

*High fashion photo of business man wearing Crocs to work courtesy of manshion.net*

~Jay O. + ErLu