Journal #6: East Side Part Two (Lado Oeste Parte Dos)

            From 95 degrees and thunderstorms, came along low 70’s and misty rain. The weather of this class has not been constant and has been throwing us curve balls. I was happy that it was not brutally hot today, but didn’t want it to rain. The rain had ruined our adventure through Harlem and I didn’t want it to ruin today’s adventure. I put on my raincoat and hoped for the best.

            Our day started off in East Harlem and our first stop was El Museo del Barrio. When I walked into the museum it is was small, modern and beautiful. I loved the way it was decorated and dedicated to the Hispanic culture. El Museo del Barrio is one of the city’s sharply focused museums and is outstanding and small. This museum is the only museum dedicated to Puerto Rican, Carribean, and Latin American culture. The museum was founded in 1969. It was founded by activists, teachers, and artists that were primarily Puerto Ricans. Before it found its present permanent home, it was first run from a classroom in a public school and moved from several storefronts (BG, 376). Mike told us that we were coming back to the museum to explore, but first we were going on a walking tour of Spanish Harlem.

            Our tour guide, Louis, was absolutely adorable and energetic. He was so passionate about his community and I was glad because I knew I was going to get the best experience I could with him.  He brought us to this small shop on104th Street that was opened in 1954. It is owned by a man named Jorge Vargas. Upon entering the shop I saw so many different ethnicities. Looking around there were different old fashioned remedies from different cultures that heal the sick. Jorge was telling us how much the community meant to him and how much they have contributed to him staying open for so many years. He said that with the changing neighborhood  he would have to be physically removed from his shop. I thought the shop was exactly what a community needs. Neighborhoods need the days when small shops survived off of the communities. That is what makes a community a community in itself.

            Louis then brought us to this small community garden. Upon entering the garden there was a water fountain in the shape of fallopian tubes. The fallopian tubes were a little odd at first and then made tense. The fountain was showing honor to the women of the community. It was showing that women are a huge part of the community and should be acknowledged. I also thought it meant that women are the ones who bring new life into the world. The water running through the fountain was showing the new lives constantly coming into the world and becoming part of the community. I thought that the fountain was beautiful and had a deep meaning. There was a mural on the wall that was absolutely beautiful entitled “Soldaderas”. It was bright and full of life. The two women being portrayed in the mural are Frida Kahlo and Julia Burgos. Julia de Burgos was a poet from Puerto Rico. She was a nationalist and an activist for women’s rights. She was destined to be one of the greatest poets in the Americas. The mural was showing what the two women stood for and their struggles as women. They both shared a love for their culture, their people and country. They used art as a force for change. Julia and Frida holding hands symbolized two communities can come together in struggle aspiration, and in history. The painting was very moving and expressed the importance women have in the community and how struggle leads to greatness.

            As we kept walking we came across many works by Manny Vega. Louis was telling us that the work by Manny Vega is all around East Harlem.  The one painting on the side of the building was amazing. It showed real people throughout the community living their day to day lives. Louis told us that the people that were being portrayed were actually people that lived in the community. Vega would take a picture of them and then paint them on the wall. The painting captivated the entire community-all parts of it-and it was truly moving to see. We then saw a dove piece by Vega. Louis was saying that people in the neighborhood could go and draw doves on the wall. They were becoming part of the artwork and the community was coming together as one. People are able to contribute what they have to the community and what they represent.

            Louis then brought us into an art gallery. I wasn’t sure what this gallery held and when I walked in I was in shock. There were pictures of drug deals and parents with their children showing them what guns were. People had tattoos and looks of hurt and hostility on their faces. It is amazing to know that this goes on in the world. Louis then narrated for us one of his own poems. It was beautiful. The feeling and passion he had in his voice while talking and saying each word was moving. Our last stop on the tour was the graffiti wall of fame. This park was started by Stingray who started it to provide street artists with a place to display their skills. The walls at some point were the canvases of some the greatest hip-hop graffiti artists of all time. During the early years, the park was for subway graffiti artists that came from all five boroughs and in time the hip-hop style spread around the world. Artists from all around the world come to East Harlem and hope to get a spot on the wall where they can express and portray themselves the way they want to. We all said our goodbyes to Louis and then it was time for lunch.

            At this point it had started to downpour rain and I was so upset because I knew it was going to ruin the rest of our day. A few classmates and I decided on Mexican. I love Mexican food and was super excited for it. The portions were big and reasonably priced. For $8.00 I received a burrito that was so huge I couldn’t finish it. Everything was made perfectly and tasted delicious. We all agreed that we made a good decision and left full and satisfied.

            We then made our way back to El Museo del Barrio to look at the exhibit. The museum had so many different types of art and it was interesting to see the different types of art that was being showcased. The museum’s collection includes pre-Colombian artifacts and  traditional Caribbean and Latin American arts. It also holds 20^th century prints, drawings, paintings, sculptures and installations, photography, documentary films, and videos (BG, 377). Walking around, I was honestly amazed. The exhibit was called Caribbean: Crossroads of the World. This exhibit offers an unprecedented opportunity to explore the diverse and impactful cultural history of the Caribbean basin. There are more than 500 works of art spanning four centuries which clarify changing aesthetics and ideologies.  They incite meaningful conversations about topics ranging from commerce and cultural diffusion to politics and pop culture. One painting that really caught my attention was La Mulata Cartagerna. It was a painting of a Colombian woman. It was bright and full of life. I stood in front of this painting and was blown away. It was beautiful and I was impressed by this museum very much.

Unfortunately it started to rain so we were unable to go to Morningside Heights and take our tour like we were supposed to do last class. I was so upset that the weather was not on our side at all today. Mike took a vote on what we wanted to do and the majority voted on going to see Annie Hall. Mike gave us a little synopsis and it seemed to be interesting. On our way to the subway we took a walk through Central Park. It was still raining but I was still pumped to be walking through the famous Conservatory Gardens. The Conservatory Garden is the park/s only formal garden and is six acres. It is named for an elaborate greenhouse torn down in 1934 during the Depression at a cost-cutting measure (BG, 297).The Conservatory Garden is an “officially designated Quiet Zone and offers a calm and colorful setting for a leisurely stroll and intimate wedding, or an escape with a good book”. The park is split up into 3 smaller gardens and each one has its own individual styles that include French, Italian, and English. The park was beautiful even in the rain and we continued our walk through Central Park until we reached the exit for the subway.

We eventually made it to the Film Forum, not too far from Canal Street, to see Annie Hall. The movie theatre was an old fashioned movie theatre and held a lot of character. The director of “Annie Hall” was none other than Woody Allen. I think I saw one Woody Allen film but I honestly cannot remember the name or what it was about. Woody Allen broke out into show business at the age of 15 writing jokes for a local paper. He then started doing his own stand-up comedy and then broke out into show business. His writing debut was the screenplay for “What’s New Pussy Cat?” starring Warren Beatty and his directorial debut was “What’s Up, Tiger Lilly?” Allen is known best for his romantic comedies “Annie Hall” and “Manhattan”. Woody Allen is one of the best film directors of all time and after seeing “Annie Hall”, I can see why.

The actual theatre was narrow and the screen was very small. The seats were smaller than what I’m used to, but it was something I wouldn’t be able to say I did if I hadn’t taken this class. “Annie Hall”, starring Diane Keaton and Woody Allen was sensational. It had the best mix of comedy and romance. I fell in love with. Annie (Keaton) who is ditsy and clumsy and has the ambitious dream of becoming a singer, while Alvy (Allen), is sarcastic, obsesses over death, and has cynical views on the world and people around him. The two could not have been more opposite, and yet they could not ignore the connection they had between them. The film was just about their romantic rollercoaster and their past relationships. Allen’s humor was hidden in the script. He has a dry sense of humor so that you have to pay attention or you will miss it. Throughout the film, Woody Allen would come out of the screen and put his input on whatever situation was going on at the moment. He is absolutely hilarious. At some points throughout the movie I could not stop laughing. The movie showed the wonderful city that we have been experiencing in class. It was nice to see how much the city has changed but at the same time has stayed the same. I really enjoyed the movie and will definitely watch it again and want to watch some of his other ones as well.

Even though the weather was absolutely awful today, again, I had a blast. I learned so much today that I would have never have learned. The tour of Harlem was so much fun and very informative. I plan on going back to Harlem and experiencing it through and through since the rain altered it. I am also grateful that Mike took us to see “Annie Hall”. It was a fantastic movie and I am very grateful. We only have two classes left and I am starting to get a little sad. I have learned and experienced so much and a part of me does not want the class to end. Next week I intend on putting on my best attitude and enjoying the rest of this experience that is left.