Taste of Tribeca showcases the extraordinary food from some great restaurants in the TriBeCa neighborhood of NYC. $40 buys you 6 tasting samples from Ribs to Sushi to Ice Cream. In case you missed it, here’re some awesome photos that hopefully will inspire you to attend in the future.

I’m seeking your photos and videos of Taste of Tribeca 2009. Send your photos to Islandwoo@gmail.com or Tweet to @Islandwoo

The annual Tribeca Film Festival includes films from 33 countries with 48 world premieres. Here are the top three films to watch out for at this year’s festival:

Date: Wednesday, April 22 to May 3, 2009
Location: Theaters throughout NYC
Tickets: Early individual tickets available to American Express® Cardmembers on 4/14 and to general public on 4/20 (more details)

Midgets Vs. Mascots

A cross between Jackass and the Real World/Road Rules Challenge, this outrageous and hilarious film features the highly anticipated return of Gary Coleman (as you’ve never seen him before), leading his team as their “Shaquille O’Neal.” Director Ron Carlson choreographs the always-hysterical (and at times gross) action to produce tear-inducing laughter as the drunken, belligerent mascots act more foolish than their costumes can make them look, and their rivals prove that size has no impact on a competition when the competitive spirit and determination is so strong (website)

Woody Allen and Larry David to Open Tribeca Film Festival 2009 with “Whatever Works”

Annie Hall, Manhattan, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Hannah and Her Sisters. Until recently, Woody Allen’s films were synonymous with New York, but then he went to Europe for a while and explored the continent with the successful Match Point and Vicky Cristina Barcelona. With his latest film, Allen has found his way back to the Big Apple—specifically, to the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival.

Whatever Works, Woody Allen’s new comedy starring Ed Begley Jr., Patricia Clarkson, Larry David, and Evan Rachel Wood, will have its world premiere as the opening night film of the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival. For Allen, the film and the Festival signal a return to New York City: “A lovely idea of showing my film in a film festival in my own city. It’s very exciting.”

Tribeca Film Festival co-founder Jane Rosenthal concurs, “I fell in love with New York through Woody Allen’s movies and I am excited we are opening this year’s Festival with Sony Pictures Classics for the world premiere of Woody’s Whatever Works, a uniquely funny addition to his body of work.” The premiere will take place on Wednesday, April 22. Whatever Works is slated for a June 19 release from Sony Pictures Classics.

2009 Tribeca Film Fest to close with “My Life In Ruins”

From Nia Vardalos, writer and star of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, comes the uplifting comedy My Life in Ruins. Georgia (Nia Vardalos) has lost her kefi (Greek for “mojo”). Discouraged by her lack of direction in life, she works as a travel guide, leading a rag-tag group of tourists as she tries to show them the beauty of her native Greece while waiting to land her dream job. Opening their eyes to an exotic foreign land, she too begins to see things in new ways—finding her kefi and possibly love in the process.

My Life in Ruins stars Nia Vardalos, Richard Dreyfuss, María Ádanez, Sheila Bernette, María Botto, Rachel Dratch, Alexis Georgoulis, Ralph Nossek, Bernice Stegers and Harland Williams. Donald Petrie (How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Miss Congeniality) directs from a script by Emmy winner Mike Reiss.

Apple Store Soho FREE Panel discussions:
Wednesday, April 22
7:00 PM – Spike Lee (Kobe Doin’ Work)
Friday, April 24
3:30 PM – Natalie Portman (discusses a new web project)
6:00 PM – Dan Fogler (Hysterical Psycho)
7:30 PM – Lee Daniels (Monster’s Ball, Precious)
Saturday, April 25
4:00 PM – So Yong Kim and Bradley Rust Gray (Treeless Mountain, The Exploding Girl)
6:30 PM – Ti West (The House of the Devil)
Sunday, April 26
5:00 PM – Conor McPherson (The Eclipse)
Monday, April 27
5:00 PM – Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna, and Carlos Cuarón (Y Tu Mamá También, Rudo y Cursi)
6:30 PM – Gabriel Noble (P-Star Rising)
8:00 PM – Atom Egoyan (The Sweet Hereafter, Adoration)
Tuesday, April 28
6:30 PM – Eric Bana (Love the Beast – directing debut)
Thursday, April 30
5:00 PM – Kirby Dick (Twist of Faith, Outrage)
Friday, May 1
7:00 PM – Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) and Donald Petrie (How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days) discusses My Life in Ruins

Links to FREE Events during the Tribeca Film Fest:

Browse the Entire Film Guide:

Which films are you looking forward to at this year’s festival?
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James De La Vega is a New York City artist known primarily for his murals and the chalk drawings he creates on public surfaces such as sidewalks. His street murals can be found all over East Harlem, and his chalk drawings may show up anywhere in the city.

The Museum Mile Festival on Fifth Avenue – One day a year, for the past 29 years, nine of the country’s finest museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, El Museo del Barrio, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and all ones that call Fifth Avenue home, collectively open their doors for free to New Yorkers and visitors for a mile-long block party and visual art celebration. This traffic-free, music-and art-filled celebration fills the street and sidewalks of Fifth Avenue from 82nd to 105th street. The highlight for a lot of street art and chalk art fans are the numerous chalk drawings by James De La Vega. Below are some of the drawings found this year.

Islandwoo Tips to make your Museum Mile experience a little better: Start at 105th Street and walk down to 82nd Street as you don’t want to wait until it gets dark to see De La Vega’s chalk art. End at the Metropolitan Museum’s Cantor Roof Garden for an amazing sunset!

For more on Artist James De La Vega…