Celebrating Red

New York City is seeing a lot of red lately not all of which is festive. Recently, celebration's color of choice has been tempered and tainted by the heat and glow of the current financial meltdown. But the Big Apple remains far from baked, it's roots remain firmly planted on an island of gold, even as the ebbing flow of it's river of green exposes the clay on which many of its financial houses are built.

(vertical ceiling bounce camera left, Gelled on axis fill, side lit BG)

Indeed our common fortune, like the tide, our line of dance and the very blood in our veins will cycle with time. Inevitably eventually the scattered herd of financial bulls, drawn irresistibly to opportunity cloaked in red must charge, stampeding before a new wave of prosperity.
Meanwhile we hunker down if we must and celebrate whenever we can, with family, friends, community, holidays, religion, culture and festivals all in this wonderful city that continues to sustain and excite us. We do so readily, very often within that color of celebration, the color red.

Red is the color of passion and intensity, brightness and visibility, of boldness, fire and renewal. Perhaps most importantly it is the immortal color of love (reason enough to celebrate it).


No wonder it is the color of the city, valentine's day and the passion of and for the tango.


The Argentine Tango was sired by rhythms furnished by African Slaves and mothered by a myriad of European musical elements. It came of age in the Argentine slums and was debutant haute société à Paris. Pedigreed both mutt and poodle it can be any man's best friend providing companionship, comfort and even escape. Forged by immigrants and still tirelessly innovated it has much in common with our city's experience and we surely need it here. It helps to ground us, remains a reliable anchor to our true selves and always the calm spot in the eye of a storm.


This Valentine weekend, after seeing red in the movie theater, ("The International"-Big Banks are evil & "Confessions of a shopaholic"-Credit Cards and stores are evil) we needed a lift and "Love Extended" at La Milonguita Ideal became a beacon.

DJ Ko was on fire (have to forgive him for wearing black, the color of the coal that feeds the fire), the dancing was hot and many wore their hearts on their sleeves, or at least their red on their heads, backs, shoulders, arms, feet.

It was definitely a night to celebrate and still I could not resist, so from time to time the camera came out to toast the red light.



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