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Last posts

Grand Gala of Flamenco

Mónica Boixeda Barcelonian, Only-Be

Some say that flamenco was born as the artistic expression of the Moorish farmers after they were evicted from their land. Other claim extravagant origins and relate flamenco to the former Spanish colonies of Flanders (presently The Netherlands and Belgium). Outlandish theories aside, the fact is that flamenco has been documented as a cultural characteristic of the poor gypsies of Andalusia since the late eighteenth century. Distinguished historians such as Demófilo (father of the Machado), poets of the universality of Federico Garcia Lorca (who liked to listen to the café singers of Madrid in his student days) or musicians like Manuel de Falla tried to preserve the oldest Flamenco musical forms. These were also the most profound, melancholy and sad and those that were displaced by other more cheerful and boisterous ones. It is now the subject of research and being promoted through patronage in an effort to preserve the purity of a cultural manifestation that was threatened in the early 20th century. Thanks to specialized cafés and the expansion of this style of song and dance into all strata of Spanish society, and later into Europe, flamenco today has been on the UNESCO heritage list since 2010. Although it’s related to Andalusian folklore, it should not be confused with it. This art form has a clear element of entertainment (of people who sing, play and dance while others to watch) and is not intended for audience participation. Flamenco has spent years crossing all kinds of borders and it is very popular in places as far away as Japan. It has also crossed over from Andalusia to Catalonia, where... read more

Chino Otsuka Exhibition

Paul Oilzum Amsterdammer, Only-Be, Things to do in Amsterdam

We´re not yet in a position to appreciate the tremendous impact the photography had on our lives. We are not only talking about the appearance of a mechanical process that replaced the production of images formed by exposure to iodine vapor on polished silver plates or silver-plated copper daguerreotypes, which were not totally alchemical resonances that were subsequently lost, because of the development of the film darkrooms, in which between magic emulsions of an extraordinary, subtle corrosiveness power were used. But above all, the mass multiplication of these views of essentially omnipresent ghosts of reality, which have been largely replaced. This is, of course, the substantive issue, because in fact the picture, regardless of media and materials used is almost as old as human history and plays a key role in the establishment of some of the myths in Western cultures. Perhaps one of the most disturbing thing in relation to the photographic image, are the ways, in which these are related to memory. We have been suggested repeatedly by a good number of philosophers and poets; born, live and run in the same landscapes that are unique to the imagination, and may be even identifed with a region of this. The relationship between photography and memory is so ambiguous, rich, contradictory and conflicted as the one with what we call reality and in one of the main issues addressed by a retrospective of the last ten years of work by Japanese artist Chino Otsuka that can be seen until the 9th of September at the Photography Museum Huis Marseille in Amsterdam (http://www.huismarseille.nl/en/exhibition/chino-otsuka-a-world-of-memories). The exhibition also includes two recent... read more

Nightlife in the Big Apple

Mónica Boixeda New Yorker, Only-Be

New York is one of the most lively and cosmopolitan cities on the planet. With reason it is one of the favorite destinations for those who like style and fun. Hence, there are many places to go for a drink and keep partying all the time. One of its strengths is the huge variety of places to have fun, restaurants, clubs and bars make your night truly vibrant. So either way, if you are a lover of good drink in a place with atmosphere and style, New York can offer many options to do so. Manhattan, for example, is a lively area if you feel like going for a drink. You just need to remember the modern stars of Sex and the City, who every night roamed the wide variety of bars and clubs as fixed points of encounter. Here you can move from happy hour type bars to sophisticated, charming places, where everything seems like out of a movie. Right in Central Park in the heart of the Big Apple, you can enjoy a cocktail and a magnificent Boathouse Bar This time in the same Central Park, near East 72nd St. The King Cole Bar and Lounge is a must visit bar, not only for its history, but also for its sophisticated environment. Located at 2 East 55th St., between 5th and Madison Avs. One of its strengths is the Vodka and with all kinds of variations on classic cocktails including the Bloody Mary. Its interior decor and service is a show that really, you shouldn’t miss. For lovers of Champagne, 205 West 54th St. between 7th Ave... read more