Indefinite Transit: NYC Edition

Banner courtesy of Celebrate México Now website.

Buenos Dias todos!!

Something you might not know about me is that my father, Ferro Pagliai, was born and raised in Mexico. While his family is fully Italian – which therefore leaves me without a drop of Mexican blood in my veins – I certainly feel part culturally Mexican.

Luckily for me – and all the other lovers of Mexico – the Seventh Annual Celebrate México Now Festival is kicking off this weekend, right here in Manhattan, and is set to run through September 30th. (This jam-packed calendar of events beats Cinco de Mayo, which is only one day, and is really a no-big-deal holiday in México – Americans make a much bigger hoopla about it than actual Mexicans do, FYI).

For more Mexican…stay tuned after the jump!

Image courtesy of the Celebrate México Now website.

This event is all about celebrating México now, and will give people an opportunity to discover the food, art, and contemporary music scene, by way of organized lectures, installations, film screenings and menu take overs – this week becomes Mexican Restaurant Week in New York City! Yummmmm!

Here is the calendar of events! Be sure not to miss out on the offerings of this culturally diverse country. If good films and good food don’t spark your interest, maybe a good party will – after all, there is no party like a Méxican party: Tequila people!!

Here is the calendar of events from the Celebrate México Now website:

New York Authentic Mexican Restaurant Week
Thursday – Wednesday , September 16 – 29 , 11:00 am

The Authentic Mexican Flavors Foundation presents the third annual New York Authentic Mexican Restaurant Week with special menus at restaurants throughout the city.
More Info >

Mexico City Noir
Thursday , September 16 , 7:00 pm

Reading and presentation by editor and writer Paco Ignacio Taibo II on this anthology of short mysteries, set in neighborhoods across Mexico City.
More Info >

Winners of the 2009 Morelia International Film Festival
Friday , September 17 , 7:00 pm

Screening of award-winning short films from the 2009 Morelia                                                                                                    International Film Festival, followed by a Q&A;with the directors from Mexico.
More Info >

Moona Luna
Saturday , September 18 , 12:00 pm

The family-friendly alter-ego of Latin alternative band Pistolera, Moona Luna creates toe-tapping songs in Spanish and English for kids and parents alike.
More Info >

Opening Reception for ‘Monica Martinez: Wurmhaus’
Saturday , September 18 , 2:00 pm

Artist Monica Martinez proposes an alternative to contemporary agriculture and its ecological impact by creating a micro architectural habitat for the edible mealworm.
More Info >

Natalia Lafourcade
Saturday , September 18 , 7:30 pm

Young Mexican pop singer Natalia Lafourcade has been taken under the wing of superstars Julieta Venegas and Café Tacuba–and for a good reason.
More Info >

Entomo-Cuisine: An Insect Pairing Dinner
Saturday , September 18 , 8:00 pm

Chef and visual artist Philip Ross prepares a four-course menu based on worms grown by artist Monica Martinez.
More Info >

Natalia Lafourcade
Saturday , September 18 , 9:30 pm

Young Mexican pop singer Natalia Lafourcade has been taken under the wing of superstars Julieta Venegas and Café Tacuba–and for a good reason.
More Info >

‘The New Songs of the Ceiba’
Wednesday , September 22 , 7:00 pm

Book presentation on ‘The New Songs of the Ceiba,’a trilingual anthology of literary works by contemporary Mayan writers from the Yucatán Peninsula.
More Info >

Zarela’s Mexican Corn Kitchen
Thursday , September 23 , 6:00 pm

A lecture and cooking demonstration with Mexican chef and food historian Zarela Martinez on corn.
More Info >

Juan Pablo Villa + Arturo López: ‘La Gruta de Baba’
Thursday , September 23 , 8:30 pm

Mexican singer and composer Juan Pablo Villa showcases his creative vocal skills in this improvisation-based concert, accompanied by Arturo López’s live sequence of ephemeral projections.
More Info >

Ely Guerra
Friday , September 24 , 7:00 pm

Mexican alt-rock icon Ely Guerra returns to NYC with her newest album, ‘Hombre Invisible.’
More Info >

‘Hasta el ultimo Trago…Corazon’ (Till the Last Drop…My Love)
Saturday , September 25 , 2:00 pm

A documentary valentine to Mexican music and the women who have shaped its development.
More Info >

Reading Carlos Monsiváis in New York
Wednesday , September 29 , 7:00 pm

Carlos Monsiváis (1938-2010) was one of Mexico’s most important public intellectuals, serving as an indispensable chronicler of Mexican arts, culture and politics for more than 40 years.
More Info >

Tambuco Percussion Ensemble
Thursday , September 30 , 7:30 pm

A three-time Grammy nominee, Tambuco is renowned for its wide-ranging repertoire and creative interpretations of percussion music.
More Info >

VIVA MEXICO!!

Besos!

-A