RAIZES, Performance Art in Brooklyn

As I was walking into my art studio building in Greenpoint, Brooklyn last night, I thought I was hearing things. There were some people who were getting out of a taxi, and they were speaking continental PORTUGUESE. I usually expect a Brazilian accent.

There was a tiny sign, in pencil, on notebook paper.
"the performance will begin at 7:30pm. on the roof"

I later found out, that -yes- they are Portuguese, and in fact have done residencies there & all over the world.  The project is called RAIZES and this link is their blog  Their Facebook address can be found here.

My Portuguese curiosity got the best of me and I went up to the roof.

There, I found a young woman, in full costume, braiding her hair and prepping a giant ball of yarn and fabric.

 There was a long, rope-like piece, made of many colors and textures.  She began weaving.

At the bottom of the fire escape stairs was a young man in a full nude-colored bodysuit, crawling up in time to a drum, which seemed to be calling him to the roof.

It was magical with the NYC skyline & sunset on one side.

And with the Digester Eggs of the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant on the other side.

Everyone was very satisfied with the event.

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Additional random coincidence:
I have been VERY lucky to have discovered a local Portuguese restaurant down the street from my art studio.  (The perfect place to take your mother, or at least, MINHA MAE!  The woman who owns it is from Sao Miguel!) It's called Raizes, which means Roots.  It's not an easy word for Americans to pronounce properly.  If you are in the Greenpoint neighborhood, specifically McGuinness and Nassau, just ask for the restaurant that has a car parked on top of it! ;)

Art & Music Festivals!

When I hear the term "Festa", I think of Saint Anthony and hot soup on a hot summer day.  But there are plenty of secular and artistic festivals for those who want to experience the islands beyond the native culture & beaches.

The Walk and Talk Festival is now in its third year (I personally just missed the first incarnation by a few weeks back in 2011!)  Go here and take a look at the great video from last year's festival (2012).  There's an IndieGoGo campaign up until the beginning of July which could use your help too, if you are so inclined.

There is also the annual (and international) Mare De Agosto-Tide of August Festival in Santa Maria.  The Portuguese American Journal wrote about it in 2011.  The real site is here, usually it happens mid/late August.  Make sure to book your tickets early!!  It's the height of the season and is poised to be the MidAtlantic version of Woodstock (without all the creepy hippies-just the nice ones!)  It is a sampler of the best of European bands and styles.  Don't expect to see the same old names here; instead you will be poised to discover the hottest new groups coming from the Eastern side of the "pond".