Without much preamble, it’s safe to say that this year’s muscle car talk has definitely been centered around Ford. With its show-stopping all new Mustang Dark Horse, and with other manufacturers shifting to EVs, Ford has remained the safe haven for enthusiasts. They have decided to double down on their market share, and have introduced a slew of events and programs to keep fans interested and coming back for more. The latest? A Save the Manual event, in which participants have the opportunity to try the new Dark horse, and learn how to drive stick. This was an opportunity I definitely could not miss.
I arrived at the location, set up in the parking lot of CitiField. I had the opportunity to try my hand at driving manual in the Ford Bronco as well, and since the Mustang was occupied (and definitely more difficult), I decided to try the Bronco first.
The Ford Bronco, courtesy of Ford
I had never driven a manual vehicle before this event, and had only had experience using paddle shifters in my own vehicle. Assuming that this would give me a bit of a head start, I soon realized I was very wrong. With a Ford instructor in the passenger seat, I quickly stalled the vehicle in less than thirty seconds. “You want to slowwwly peel your foot off the clutch, and right in the sweet spot you want to start pressing down on the gas,” the instructor explained to me. I slowly released my left foot off of the clutch, and as I pressed down on the gas pedal, the car lurched forward and came to a grinding halt as the engine stalled out. My instructor laughed as I sheepishly turned the car back on and tried again. After several more tries (and several more failures), I began getting the hang of it.
Pretty soon, it was time to start shifting into gears beyond the first. My instructor explained that it was the same process, except that I had to watch my RPM and ensure that I was in the sweet spot, around 3000 RPMS for the Bronco, before I shifted. This number would vary for each gear however, and since the location for the shifter to go for each gear was different as well, it was starting to become a lot to remember. Pretty soon, I slipped up and let go of the clutch too early, and the vehicle jerked to a stop and stalled once more, right when I thought I was getting the hang of it. Driving stick was a lot harder than I thought it would be! It was definitely more fulfilling , however. I could sense the lurches in the cars engine, and the sound tones that would signal to me when it was time to shift and when I couldn’t. I felt much more closely connected to the car.
After getting the hang of the Bronco, it was time for me to move on to the Dark Horse, which I was extremely excited about. Accompanying me in the vehicle was NASCAR driver Ryan Blaney, who had been driving stick shift his entire life. It truly was a dream come true.
As I started the vehicle, I was prepared for the worse. If the Bronco had been difficult, this awesome V8 would definitely throw me for a loop.
The Ford Mustang Dark Horse, courtesy of Ford
However, I was pleasantly surprised that driving the Mustang came easier than the Bronco. The random stalls and mistakes that came with the Bronco never came with the Mustang, and I grew more and more comfortable driving it as I shifted to higher gears. It was definitely a more forgiving car. Since Ryan did not have to do much instructing, we had much more time to talk, and we conversed about driving, cars, his NASCAR career, and even other topics like movies. It was a wonderful experience.
I truly admire the effort that Ford is putting into keeping the car enthusiast culture alive. Driving manual is definitely not a necessary skill; after all, driving automatic is easier and more applicable to the masses. However, for enthusiasts, it provides a deeper and richer experience with their vehicles, and allows for more refined control of their machine. This is something that is definitely valuable, and with the advent of EVs, it seems like it is a dying skill. With no one left that is interested in the hobby, car manufacturers will neglect to make a manual variant of their cars, and the sense of connection with one’s car will be lost.
The Mustang Dark Horse shifter, courtesy of Ford
This is why it is important to keep passing down our skills, teaching as many as we can, and learn all that we can, so that this wonderful ability can stay alive. I truly thank Ford for their commitment to providing individuals with the outlet to hone this skill, and I am confident that as long as manufacturers keep giving programs and events that allow for knowledge transfer, as Ford has done, and do not simply kill off their manual variants in the name of cutting costs, driving stick will be enjoyed by many for decades to come.
During the last week of July, the Ballet Hispánico, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, and Dance Theatre of Harlem shared their passion for dance with the public through a free series of 20-minute performances.
On Tuesday, July 18th, the global multi-platform media company World of Wonder (WOW) brought the house down with an extraordinary Drag performance celebration at their headquarters and gallery space in Hollywood. Celebrating International Drag Day, bringing together fans, queens, and stars from the Drag Race universe for an unforgettable evening.
The event featured an impressive lineup of Drag Race royalty, including Lawrence Chaney, the winner of “Drag Race UK” Season 2; Angina Heals, co-host of “Drag Race Thailand”; Nicky Doll, the charming host of “Drag Race France”; and Kylie Monique Love, winner of “All Stars” Season 6. Each performer took the stage by storm, delivering electrifying performances.
Fans got to meet their favorite queens during special meet-and-greet sessions. Among the additional talents in attendance were Jiggly Client, a renowned judge from “Drag Philippines” and a veteran of both “Drag Race” Season 4 and “All Stars 6,” along with Corazón from “Philippines” Season 1, and a host of other fabulous guests.
The festivities were further enhanced by House of Love Cocktails and Mocktails refreshments. As the night unfolded, guests reveled in the magic of drag culture and epitomized the spirit of International Drag Day.
World of Wonder (WOW) has reshaped international pop culture, creating an indelible mark on the entertainment industry. With an impressive 30 Emmy Awards and two Oscars to their credit, WOW has reached audiences across 190 territories through their global network, WOW Presents Plus. The groundbreaking television portfolio includes iconic franchises like RuPaul’s Drag Race and Dragon, which have brought the art of drag to the world stage.
The International Drag Day Party hosted by World of Wonder was a night to remember, showcasing the talent and brilliance of drag culture while reinforcing WOW’s commitment to shaping the global entertainment landscape.
This summer, New World Stages welcomes back the talented Rodrick Covington in the exhilarating new off-Broadway musical ‘Rock & Roll Man.'”
This vibrant production celebrates the life of the trailblazing DJ Alan Freed and his significant impact on the rock music scene of the 195s. Covington, a seasoned veteran of the New York stage, steps into the shoes of the legendary Ramp; B and rock singer, musician, and songwriter, Little Richard.
Rodrick Covington’s impressive stage credits already include appearances at New World Stages in “Drum Struck” and on Broadway in Tony Award-winning and Grammy-nominated productions like “Once On This Island” and “The Lion King.” With such a remarkable stage presence, he is well-equipped to breathe life into the flamboyant persona of Little Richard.
Little Richard, famous for hits like “Tutti Fruit,” “Long Tall Sally,” “Good Golly Miss Molly,” and “Lucille,” left an indelible mark on the world of music. His unique style, marked by croons, wails, and screams, became an intergenerational influence on rock music, both in the 1950s and for years to come. “Tutti Fruit” itself reached impressive heights on the charts, peaking at number 21 on the Billboard Top 100 in America and number 29 on the British singles chart, eventually selling over a million copies. The song became included in Rolling Stone’s list of the top 500 songs of all time, with critics hailing it as “the most inspired rock lyric ever recorded.”
When Covington isn’t on stage, he’s passionate about wellness, even owning his own wellness center. He is passionate about self-care, both on stage and off, and offered some brilliant tips on staying grounded and mindful. We sat down with Covington to talk about all things ‘Rock & Roll, man!’
Check out the conversation below!
In recent years, Puerto Rico has illustrated how several points can be true simultaneously throughout the global media. A territory can survive the consequences of being the world’s oldest colony, — it can gift the populace the most listened-to entertainer year after year, and natives and descendants can assert a cultural pride that can only be identified as Boricua. The Discover Puerto Rico team is dedicated to teaching the history of La Isla del Encanto and joined forces with Premios Juventud earlier this month to illuminate the beauty of the island’s music, landscape, and heritage.
“I am committed to purchasing and experiencing art among locals,” Nicole Olmeda, a communications coordinator at Discover Puerto Rico and Fajardo native, explained to her arriving party. Olmeda’s sentiment touching the support of Puerto Rican-owned businesses was further substantiated by the Premios Juventud Media Fam itinerary. Journalists based in the United States and other Latin American territories traveled to Puerto Rico to experience the Univision televised award show’s 20th anniversary at Coliseo Jose Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The trips back-to-back agenda spanned several days, and to be concise with its highlights, The Knockturnal will list background information on separate establishments’ attributes, respectively. The Don Rafa Boutique Hotel & Residences hosted guests with an ambiance inspired by the 1950s and the love story of the hospitality pioneers Rafael Hernández Salazar, Ernesto Suárez, and Pura Suárez Salazar. Bespoke Lifestyle Management, a family-owned transportation and concierge service, took media attendees to and from each press trip site. And the first stop was at a renowned San Juan chef’s establishment, Mario Pagan Restaurant. Pagan, the owner, has been featured on television shows, including the Food Network’s “Next Iron Chef,” but his most considerable work is arguably his efforts alongside the World Central Kitchen and Chefs For Puerto Rico in the name of disaster relief.
Each facet of the collective experience directed eyes to the community it serves, and Melissa Santana, the executive director of the corporation for musical arts and subsidiaries for the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, added to the discussion over dinner. Since its inception, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Puerto Rico has been distinguished by having musicians of the highest caliber who have excelled locally and internationally. Santana, a musician herself, has studied between the island and the United States, creating visibility for the company’s youth development programs and activations such as Festival Casals de Puerto Rico.
In order to fully immerse ourselves in the adventure, editors were required to do some homework of our own. CL Tours PR, an excursion company, started the festivities with a cultural walk in the birthplace of commercially accepted reggaetón and bomba. The prominent locations we visited were La Perla, Old San Juan’s Calle San Francisco, Calle Fortaleza, Puerta de Tierra, and Santurce. The latter location is home to the Cepeda family, the descendants of the legendary bomba composer and instrumentalist Rafael Cepeda.
The genre’s origins derive from the Spaniards’ colonization of Indigenous Peoples — subsequently, enslaved West Africans were brought to work on sugar plantations in Puerto Rico, and their musicality prevailed. Enslaved populations used bomba as a form of resistance, including communications of forthcoming rebellion and to celebrate momentous occasions such as baptisms and weddings. While this music has existed since the pillaging of most Taínos, its inclusivity of surviving Indigenous Peoples remains. It is also a testament to how Blackness founded nearly all Spanish-language genres, which were later amplified on the trip and awarded through Premios Juventud.
While the show’s name translates to “youth awards,” Latino icons are prioritized. The affair opened with a reggaetón medley arranged by Boricua superstar Daddy Yankee and concluded with the Colombian idol, Shakira, becoming the biggest winner of the evening, sweeping 8 awards. “To be honest, when I had self-doubt, you made me believe in myself again. When I feel fragile, you give me strength. You’ve protected me. You’ve been loyal,” she told fans during an emotional speech.
Performances by De La Ghetto, Zion & Lennox, RaiNao, Wisin, CNCO, Chencho Corleone, Farruko, Hoobastank, and others kept the audience on its feet. Also known as la fiesta más HOT del verano (or the hottest party of the summer), the event annually recognizes youth leading to change in music, culture, charitable happenings, and the world. Award winners Eladio Carrion, Danna Paola, Bizarrap, Peso Pluma, Rosalía, and Rauw Alejandro were unmistakable fan favorites. Although many Spanish-speaking territories had representation present, none were plentifuller in number than Borikén.
Still, the Discover Puerto Rico team aimed to reiterate that there was nothing new under the Taíno sun. All the musical genres we revere in mainstream culture today have predecessors. The following morning, a scenic drive was taken to the south of the island to encounter Ponce, previously known as the largest and richest city in Puerto Rico. The locale is also understood to have gifted the voice of the man frequently credited as the most significant Boricua musical figure of all time, Héctor Lavoe.
At 17, he migrated from Puerto Rico to New York City to pursue his career as a singer. Before being revered as a longtime member of the Fania All-Stars and solo salsa luminary, Lavoe was a teenager making his rounds in Spanish-language nightclubs in the Bronx and Manhattan. He is among the pioneers, who were mostly New York-based Puerto Ricans and Cubans, who took the salsa genre globally.
Today murals of him cover New York City and Puerto Rico. Lavoe (born Héctor Juan Pérez Martínez) are buried in his hometown with his wife, Nilda “Puchi” Román Pérez, and the couple’s son, Héctor Pérez Jr. With respect, a bottle of Don Q was placed on their tomb as an offering during Discover Puerto Rico’s tour of Ponce with Isla Caribe PR. Landmarks visited in Ponce included Centro Cultural Carmen Solá de Pereira, Plaza de Mercado Isabel II, and Paseo de la Salsa Cheo Feliciano.
The city’s music fueled our visit, namely with Centro Comunal y Cultural del Barrio San Antón de Ponce, where we met athletes and plena exemplars Carlos “Cao” Vélez, Otoniel “Otto” Vélez Franceschi, and Luis Antonio “Mambo” de León Tricoche. Plena is an Afro-Boricua genre known for its heavy percussion and spirited sound. Much like bomba, plena is also a means of critiquing worldly conditions and communicating messages among listeners. Beyond historical lessons was the review of another Puerto Rican cultural staple, Caribbean dishes.
The mountain town of Cayey introduced lechón (roasted pork), and Lechonera El Mojito specializes in pork by the pound and the Creole bites that commonly accompany native eats. Further, traditional West Indian food from neighboring Caribbean territories is accessible throughout the island, and you may likely find more culinary similarities than differences facing those of Puerto Rico.
Other establishments visited beside Premios Juventud’s Media Fam selectees were Areyto, Mercado La Carreta, Casita Miramar, La Factoría, and Santaella. The last-mentioned restaurant is owned by the best-selling cookbook author (“Cocina Tropical: The Classic and Contemporary Flavors of Puerto Rico”), Chef José Santaella. His establishment also borders La Placita de Santurce, a market square celebrated for its nightlife, time-honored artwork, reggaetón, and salsa.
In recognition, El Bastión, a cultural center devoted to developing arts and knowledge in diverse disciplines, including salsa, offered a lesson to scribes on the genre that frequently fills the streets of Puerto Rico and its correlating dances. Salsa typically combines elements of the vocal traditions from African genres, percussion instrumentation from conga, plena, mambo, bomba, Spanish guitar techniques, and more recently, modern components of jazz.
A few of salsa’s most influential figures include Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz, Oscar D’León, Tito Puente, Rubén Blades, Cheo Feliciano, Marc Anthony, and Andy Montañez. The latter artist deepened my affinity for this music, as he is my relative. Discover Puerto Rico also acknowledged Montañez via a record placement at Casa de la Música en Cayey.
Andres Yambo, a musician and representative of this Cayeyana artistic hub, offered a reading on Puerto Rican music from the 19th Century forward — and writers encountered the evolution of radios by playing music chronologically from each generation’s finest apparatus. Chiefly, what is absolute is the magnificence, culture, and resilience of natives and their descendants that compel all who witness the land they love most: Puerto Rico.
On July 25th, 2023, Gotham, New York City’s first legalized cannabis and cultural concept store, collaborated with Bright Moments Digital Art Gallery, hosting an interactive event of digital art and experiencing the culture celebrated at Gotham. Gotham is located in a prime trendy area of the city, right between Soho and the iconic St. Marys Street. Gotham has two floors; the bottom is its cannabis and retail area, and the top is where the art gallery resides. I had quite the experience, so I am excited to share my journey with you all.
When I first heard of digital art and NFTs, it left a big question mark in my head: What exactly is it? NFTs have been trending and created for the past year and have been thriving ever since. NFTs are an outlet where artists, based on the faith of probability based on an algorithm, that technology will create beautiful digital pieces, easily shared on your phone and through the digital atmosphere. Now you may ask, “How does that work? How can technology create art?” Well, you’re in for a treat, because I have the answers. The artist Jimena Buena Vida’s collection is particularly intriguing because of the digital platform media she uses to create these vibrant pieces of artwork. Jimena Buena Vida is a Latino abstract artist who merges from computer science with modern art. Vida’s goal is to push the limits of traditional art and add a twist. She uses technology to allow the NFT’s algorithm to randomly choose based on probability, to create its unique piece. Each piece of art that appears on the digital screen or is sent to your coin-based digital wallet isn’t the same. They are all one-of-a-kind unique pieces. Jimena Buena Vida calls this collection “Epiphanies”. Vida’s collection aims to celebrate the unknown; these creations unlock different dimensions of possibility, chance, and the aspect of existence. Vida’s inspiration for this occurred in the post-pandemic world. Everything that we once knew has changed. How we adapt to the constantly advancing technology is our choice. I think it’s beautiful and very interesting to test the limits of modern art and technology. It’s quite a controversial conversation and topic, but the more research and experience I have myself with, these open my eyes to a whole new world.
Below are some sample pieces of Jimena Buena Vida’s pieces, they can be found on the Bright Moments Art Gallery on their website bright moments.io for more information. As stated above, Bright Moments is a digital art gallery that started in California, in Venice Beach, and is now in NYC inside of Gotham NYC. Gotham NYC offers a wide variety of cannabis items, such as THC and CBD, gummies, pre-rolls, and more. Gotham also offers fashion and lifestyle brands and is a great space to chill out and interact with the staff and crew and leave feeling “high on life” and relaxed. They offer so many varieties of self-soothing substances with top quality and natural ingredients. I am looking forward to indulging myself. The staff was so friendly and offered me so many things to try. I’m looking forward to coming back.
I had the chance to create my own NFT piece of art through this technology Vida uses. It happened within a minute, a blink of my eye, and I have my own NFT digital art on my phone. It can be transferred and sold through cryptocurrency, or I can cherish it on my phone for special eyes to view. NFT and the Art world are still going to have a bunch of controversy of “what is it” “how does it work” and if it’s trying to replace “organic” art, but I believe it’s a more accessible and transformative type of artwork. It doesn’t take away “organic” artwork but offers a more instant and expansive creativity. Congratulations to Jimena Buena Vida and her amazing collections, I learned so much about both these brands and the NFT Art world.
For more information about Bright Moments, artists and to view Jimena’s expansive artwork:
Go to www.brightmovement.io for more.
Passion Tree Hard Seltzer hosted an exclusive comedy show at the Passion Tree HQ mansion just off the Sunset Strip.
NEW YORK, NY – For its summer season finale, the American Ballet Theatre performed Romeo and Juliet (Kenneth MacMillan’s choreography and Sergei Prokofiev’s score).
From July 13 to 15, the Metropolitan Museum of Art presented Buscando a Juan (“Looking for Juan”). Ballet Hispánico Artistic Director and CEO Eduardo Vilaro’s choreography responded to ideas from the exhibit Juan de Pareja: Afro-Hispanic Painter. The performance featured dancers from Ballet Hispánico and advocated for social changes.
The performance explored diasporas through an emphasis on sensuality and movement. It considered the assumptions made when people of color enter traditionally white spaces. Costumes and dance steps underscored this focus.
First, a man gracefully walked to a long table. He sat on top of it and wore a colorful shirt. His brown pants and shoes created a striking contrast. To his left, six dancers displayed nature-like gestures.
They rotated their hips, which might remind viewers of plants in the wind. They extended their arms and shifted their feet to demi-pointe. Perhaps that depicted a predatorial animal. Quickly, the dancers arched their backs and then raised their left legs. It could reflect on graceful animals, like cheetahs and swans. Soon after, the dancers kneeled on the ground.
They moved three steps forward. Next, they slapped their knees and arched their backs. They curved and extended their arms to the ground. Perhaps this represents an elephant’s clumsy movements. Each dancer utilized a different movement.
A woman in a teal shirt spun with her left foot in the air. Behind her, a woman in purple leaned her hips to the left. Then she lunged forward with her left knee. Such movements represent other organisms in nature. The dancers walked in a circle and looked at each other.
They bounced into the pavilion’s center. Their bent legs and dangling arms reflected the apes’ physiques. In stunning contrast, the man sat still on the table. Meanwhile, the dancers extended one bent leg into the air. They pressed their palms together to mimic beaks. With arabesques, they spun to their positions around the fountain.
The dancer in the purple shirt extended her arms to the side. She spread her bent legs as well. She bounced on her feet and put her arms behind her back. Next, she rotated her left leg from a front attitude to a back arabesque. Such quick movements reflected nature’s vibrancy. Soon, many dancers noticed the man on the table.
They gracefully ran to him and stood in a group. Their positions showed that their characters thought alike. The man still did not move. Perhaps this showed ostracization towards him. Two dancers stayed near the fountain.
They wore purple shirts and bounced on bent legs. Soon, they raised their hands in a triangular shape to look like beaks. They crossed one foot over the other. Maybe they imitated birds with long legs. Suddenly, a man in a maroon shirt ran toward the audience.
He knelt on his left leg and straightened the right one. He jumped up and brushed his right foot against the tiled floor. One hand grazed his chin while his left arm extended into the courtyard. He looked towards a large palm tree in the space’s back. He leaned his head and arms behind him, as though he were lamenting. Next, the dancers recreated their circle at the fountain.
A woman in a purple shirt extended her arms and completed a pirouette. The dancers did not move for a few seconds. This pause made the routine more dramatic. Next, the performers pivoted and extended their arms sideways. They brushed their feet diagonally across the floor and moved toward the audience. Each dancer went to a different side of the court.
At their respective corners, the performers displayed various steps. They did not move synchronously at this time. Their different paces suggested unique imitations of organisms. The individuality made the routines more personal to audience members. Eventually, the dancers returned to the fountain at the court’s center.
They faced the side and crossed their legs. They swung their arms wildly. Then, they completed synchronous pirouettes. Each performer put their arms behind their back and knelt on the floor.
They sprang up and bent their arms behind their backs. They curved their legs again and acted like they carried heavy loads. Each dancer noticed the man on the table.
The group by the fountain kneeled on the tile. A man in a black shirt walked gracefully to the table. He manually moved 
the other man’s head and body. Perhaps his character viewed the other man as an inanimate object. The dancers by the fountain elegantly walked to the table.
They approached the man one after the other. One took away a chair. The others ripped off parts of his shirt. Soon, the man appeared shirtless. Maybe this represented the other characters’ exploitations of him. With these fragments, the dancers exited the stage.
Finally, the man stood up. He boldly walked to the courtyards’ back. The man in a black shirt brought over a chair. The shirtless man sat down again. The man in the black shirt manipulated his arms. This time, the shirtless man fought back.
Independently, he extended his arms. The man in the shirt pirouetted in attitude across the chair’s back. Again, he moved the shirtless man’s arms. In response, the shirtless man dropped his arms. The man in the shirt moved to the chair’s back and calculated his next move.
He reached for the shirtless man’s arms. The man quickly raised his arms in the air. The man with the shirt attempted to move the other man’s shoulders. The shirtless man displayed opposition by moving first. Soon, he picked up the man with the shirt and slowly rotated him in the air. The shirtless man interacted with a woman as well.
She wore a white top and a blue skirt. She sat on his back as he walked across the court. Subsequently, she extended her right leg over his head and gracefully stood. The shirtless man rose too and picked her up. He slowly twirled her and then put her down. The two performed a routine together.
Gently, she fell into the man’s arms. After lingering for a second, she pirouetted and curtsied to him. She fell back into 
his arms again. Then, he flipped her in the air. She landed on her feet and extended her right leg into an arabesque. The man studied the curvature of her hip. This represented delicate intimacy. The performance occurred in a gorgeous room.
The Metropolitian Musuem of Art presented the event in the Robert Lehman Wing at the court level. The audience watched the dancers from all sides of the pavilion. Some sat on breathtaking stone benches against the walls. Others gathered behind velvet ropes. The show had a wonderful production team.
Osvaldo Golijov arranged the music from La Pasión segun San Marcos. The event incorporated skilled performers.
The dancers from Ballet Hispánico included Amanda del Valle, Antonio Cangiano, Dylan Dias McIntyre, Fatima Andere, Gabrielle Sprauve, and Omar Rivéra. The American Guild of Musical Artists made the performers’ appearances possible.
The Adrienne Arsht Fund for Resilience through Art and Arnhold Fund for Dance Innovation at The Met supported this event. MetLiveArts commissioned the performance.