Dumbo Arts Festival 2010

This was my third time at the Dumbo Arts Festival. Last year I went solo and this year I went with a group but ended up wandering off by myself to explore more of Pier 1 and Brooklyn Bridge Park. There were musical performances including a marching band, some wedding photos taking place, and an actual wedding ceremony on the park lawn with the Manhattan skyline as the backdrop. I also came across some cool dance routines being performed out on Pier 1 with the picturesque Brooklyn Bridge in the background.

More pictures here of the dancers.

Wedding ceremony taking place on Saturday during the festival

Brooklyn Bridge Park, on the rocks

View of the Manhattan Bridge from inside an artists' studio at 10 Jay Street

Lavender NYC sky

The sky really caught my eye one evening above the Manhattan skyline. I went out to Dumbo, Brooklyn for an Etsy craft party and stopped by the Brooklyn Bridge Park to relax and take in the view of the Brooklyn Bridge and the buildings of downtown Manhattan. I got there kind of early and stayed a while, watching the sky go from blue, to lavender, to orange, but left before it went black.

Art and Art-goers in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Gallery hopping (or crawling as we sometimes call it) is very different in Williamsburg than it is in the usual Chelsea neighborhood spot. I haven't been to Chelsea in a while unfortunately, except to see a nice exhibit of Dennis Hopper photographs at the Tony Shafrazi Gallery on West 26th. And even though I work IN Chelsea, I somehow though always make it out to DUMBO or Williamsburg in Brooklyn to view the galleries on First Thursdays and First Fridays. It's a far trip out there for me, but it's worth it to run around these cool, artsy neighbhorhoods to see local artwork while it's temporarily on display. Most of the time you get to meet the artist and enjoy free wine.

'Vector/vector' exhibit at Causey Contemporary
Gallery on Grand Street

Dumbo Arts Festival '09

I'd been looking forward to the annual Art Under The Bridge festival in Dumbo, Brooklyn since last September when I first attended and saw this unique neighborhood for the first time. It provides great views and chances to see new contemporary art from up and coming artists.

This year, by the time I went (which was Sunday, the last day of the festival), there wasn't much going on since a lot of outdoor performances and installations were either over or had been rained out. But I still got to see a few cool pieces indoors and out:

From inside Smack Mellon studios on Plymouth Street

Ellen Driscoll's 'Revanent: New Work' inside Smack Mellon

Under the newly improved Archway on Water street,

below the Manhattan Bridge

rainy sign

out in front of powerHouse Arena on Main Street, facing the Manhattan Bridge

outdoor installation in Brooklyn Bridge Park, near the Brooklyn Bridge

Inside DAC (Dumbo Arts Center)

Movies with a View

On Thursday nights throughout this summer, Brooklyn Bridge Park has been a host to Movies With a View, out on the lawn overlooking the skyn of downtown Manhattan. Brooklyn Bridge Park is located in DUMBO, Brooklyn (DUMBO = Down Under The Manhattan Bridge).

Last night, Catch Me If You Can was showing and I got there early to get a good spot on the lawn and take in the views before the sun set. Before long, it got crowded and dark, and the movie started. It was a great movie and it felt sort of like camping in the midst of the heat wave New York has been having!

The Brooklyn Bridge and the screen for the movie


View of the skyline and the crowd on the lawn

DUMBO sights and sites

While out visiting the galleries in DUMBO, a friend and I wandered out to Brooklyn Bridge Park to get a view of the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges and the east side of Manhattan's skyline.

You can see the skyline on the east side isn't much (I think that is either the East Village, Lower East Side or Murray Hill that you can see across the water), but the blue Manhattan Bridge is impressive enough. 

This is one of my favorite places in the city, and it is one of the most active. On Thursday's they have movies on the lawn by the Brooklyn Bridge and on Tuesdays they have yoga. Then just a few blocks away is the famous pizza place Grimaldi's, where there is always a line outside waiting!

You can see the Empire State Building in this shot!

View of Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan

There are always post-wedding shots going on out here!

DUMBO art galleries

On the first Thursday of every month in DUMBO, the art galleries stay open later for visitors as they walk through the scenic neighborhood. A bunch of us went out this past Thursday evening to view works inside the powerHouse arena, D.A.C (DUMBO Arts Center), Melville House and Smack Mellon.

There were a lot of great photographs and paintings on display, a live band playing, and lots of Booklynites and Manhattanites filling the art studios. One of my favorite pieces on display in A.I.R. Gallery was from Burst 387 - a collage of photographs of words and signs throughout the city, all arranged in alphabetical order.

The new Mural and a bit more of Dumbo

I think you've all been hearing about this new mural in the riverside town of Dumbo, Brooklyn. Apparently it was started and completed over Memorial Day weekend and the artist has some significant meaning behind the subject matter. Read about it here via dumbonyc.com.

I passed by it on my way to the Water Street Restaurant for one of those digital dumbo events. It was rainy and wet outside, but I had taken the long way to my destination because I was hoping to come across this new mural on Water Street. Because there are no numbered streets in this quiet neighborhood, I always get lost... no matter what!

I was hoping to spot this neat little arty treat and I did! Here it is... as well as some other photos of the area:




The beautiful blue Manhattan bridge



Building on Front Street

Out and about in DUMBO

The '09 New York Photo Festival was this past weekend in DUMBO Brooklyn. Registration was at the popular powerHouse arena on Main Street. They have so many amazing books of photographs and artwork and host a great environment for press events and presentations.

Right out front of the bookstore is a view of the beautiful Manhattan Bridge and the entrance to both the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park and Brooklyn Bridge Park. Gossip Girl films around here, and recently I've noticed this spot in the movies 27 Dresses and 13 Going on 30.

This neighborhood is one of my favorites in all of New York City. I mean, who could resist a trip to DUMBO!?

view of the Manhattan Bridge from outside powerHouse arena on Main Street



View from inside Smack Mellon art studios

A Place I love to go

DUMBO stands for "Down Under The Manhattan Bridge Overpass". It is a town on the edge of Brooklyn that is located under and between the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridge overpasses. You can take a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge (like they do in Sex & The City, ha!) and then take a shortcut to get to DUMBO, where are there are lots of unique local shops, restaurants, cafes, art studios, book stores and more. I personally love to visit powerHouse Books on Main Street, right by the Brooklyn Bridge Park. There is a cool little theater called Galapagos and a sugary smelling cafe called The Almondine nearby. DUMBO is also the setting of some Gossip Girl scenes. They show a peek of it in 27 Dresses as well!