Tag: Mapes24

After a Nine Year Search, I’ve Finally Found the Best Korean BBQ in New York City at Kang Hodong Baekjeong (NYC)

I find that a night out for some Korean food can be a hard sell to a lot of my western friends, as many find the fare to be either too spicy, or lacking in heartiness, due to the abundance of vegetables used in the cuisine. Back home in L.A., I’m usually able to convert the doubters by ...

Formula F at Utopia bachata

Photos and Performance Videos from La Fuerza & D’Cor’s Utopia Latin Dance Social (NYC)

After our last anniversary event, I quickly came to the realization that I had taken on about two jobs too many as I was running around like a headless chicken for most of the night (I had to perform in two numbers, and was in charge of all the media for the event). Live and learn, right? ...

Please Come Join Us for an Incredible Night of Bachata and Salsa Dancing at Utopia 2 by La Fuerza and D’Cor Dance Companies (NYC)

On behalf of La Fuerza Dance Co & D’COR Dance Co, I’d like to invite everyone to an awesome night of dancing at UTOPIA (in NYC), which will be held on Friday, June 12th from 9pm to 4am. Utopia is a fundraiser that Fausto Felix and Maria Ramos have collaborated on for their company dancers. “Each company ...

Where to Dance Salsa and Bachata in Los Angeles (CA)

For anyone wanting to go out dancing while visiting LA, here’s a quick little reference chart that I put together that includes a list of my favorite weekly events.  I’ve included the schedules for the ‘Big 3’ (GranadaLA, PCH Club & Steven’s Steakhouse) as these are probably the most well known, and promoted venues.  I ...

Performance Videos (salsa & bachata) from Nueva Ola’s First Brooklyn Bash Social (NYC)

Anyone who’s known me for a while knows that I’m not particularly fond of heading out to Brooklyn. Don’t get me wrong, it has nothing to do with the borough itself, or with the masses of hipsters roaming its streets. The simple fact is that even though both are a part of NYC, traveling from ...

Photos of the Hottest Cars from the 2015 New York International Auto Show

Having grown up during the emergence of the ‘rice rocket era’ in Southern California, I’m sure it’s not hard to imagine why so many imports have found their way onto my list of hottest rides.  Though there were a lot of beautiful cars presented during this year’s NY International Auto Show, here are photos of the rides ...

Dancing to Live Salsa Music in NY: Featuring Frankie Vasquez at Monique’s Lounge 108 (NYC)

When going out salsa dancing in NY, you’ll occasionally get the following question: “So, what type of salsa club are we going to?”  Though one salsa club is the same as any other salsa club for most people, there’s a delineation in NY between clubs/socials that have “trained” dancers, and those who’ve primarily learned in the ...

How I Quenched my Foodie and Photo Cravings Along the Malecon in Panama City (Panama).

Anyone who’s had to make a connecting flight towards South America knows that Panama City serves a major hub for most airlines. The next time you’re heading in that direction, instead of simply waiting a few hours at the airport, I highly recommend you take a few extra days to check out the sights and sounds of this ...

5 Reasons Why Barrio Santo Domingo Savio is an Awesome Place to Take Photos in Medellin (Colombia)

Even though it’s been years since Medellin renounced its title as ‘Most Violent City in the World’,  my friends in the U.S. still seem surprised to hear that I would want to go there again for a vacation. What I love about photography is that photos allow me to relay the beauty of a place in a ...

Photoshoot with Argentinian Bachata Champions Marcelo and Julieta

I recently had the opportunity to do a photoshoot with the Argentinian bachata champions Marcelo Alcaraz and Julieta Ibañez.  One of the aspects I love about shooting elite level dancers is that they have such an acute awareness of their bodies, and generally have years of experience emoting feelings through facial expressions and subtle gestures.  Qualities ...