Party at Casco Viejo, skateboard in hand

Any given day you walk around 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Plaza Francia, Casco Viejo (Panama´s old quarter) and you´ll see a number of young kids practicing skateboarding like crazy. In the same space (I don´t know how they manage) they also play football or street beisball. The kids really go at it, slamming themselves agains stairs, walls, floor. Standing up like nothing has happened, undusting and straight back at it.

They are yearning for a proper skateboard park. For this reason, artist and Casco Antiguo residents Cristine and Dom organized a party last night to gather funds and start lobbying for a designed skateboard park. It was a cheerful event! skaters from all ages where happy moving around the ruins of the old Club Union, going up and down ramps… fabulous!

Art With Optimism

Full of colors and optimism inaugurated the latest art show of Cartooch, Casco Viejo (Panama) artists and residents, at the ruins of the former Union Club. Alegories of all sorts, some quite sexy! (photos not included…!).

Probably the most refreshing thing about their art is that when it chooses to be critical it does so without cinicism. A daring position for an artist, an edge where people could or not take them seriously.  Pieces related to being different within the society and how people are perceived from different points of view, resources abuse (energy), and freedom in general cruise through their work in an almost cheerful way.  Reminding us of our flaws, but also that it can all be overcome.

“Chic” Casco Viejo

Casco Viejo is one of this places where everything mix. Bohemian, authentic, slick and chic, everyone co exists and you would almost say it wouldn´t be the same without it.  From Jazz Fest to Halloween, from a thursday night out at Mojito´s grill playing trivia at an open garden surrounded by old calicanto stone walls that are at least 150 years old eating hamburger,  this neighborhood is just special.

Last night, everyone in Casco Antiguo dressed up and went for a “chic” night out. Starting with a fashion show at the Municipality (antigua Casa Arias Feraud) and later to a special sushi night at the Deli Gourmet. The fashion show featured French designer Helene Breebart and Madeleine Cranfield from San Diego, California showed their best collections. Helene´s specialty is ethnic inspired clothing. For years, she´s been working with the kuna indians in Panama to create stylish clothing. Latelly, I´ve even seen swimming suits with mola designs! Madeleine´s specialy is silk. She has beautiful and delicate creations inspired in nature. A great combination for these two artists, and Panama was their muse. Later on, sushi night at Deli Gourmet. Chef and new Casco Viejo resident Sajoscha delighted guests with his creations. Soon, he´ll be opening a restaurant in Calle 1era…..

Vintage porn posters revive old Casco Viejo Theatre

Teatro Amador is one of the cutest looking theatres of Casco Viejo.  A romantic fasade, has been awaiting for restoration for a while. Their owners, however, are starting to re activate the space… and what best ocassion than a big Halloween art show featuring original vintage porn posters from the 70´s and 80´s (and some earlier!) of another Casco Viejo icon: Teatro Variedades.

History of theatres in Casco Viejo is interesting. While the San Felipe town had Teatro Nacional (National Theatre), Santa Ana which was a more popular area had Teatro Variedades. With the decline of the old quarter, both theatres (and later Teatro Amador itself) decayed to the point of showing movies (porn mostly) and even boxing matches.  Luckily, with Casco´s restoration they are slowly coming back to life. Today, the National Theatre is one of the most elegant theatres in Panama City. Teatro Variedades and Amador have been bought by developers and hopefully their time will come soon.   In the meantime, Teatro Amador will be an open space for interesting art shows and events.

Other Halloween events will be held by Relic (costume party) and Indigo Restaurant (sexy party!).

Where to go?

Teatro Amador: Avenida Central and 10th street. After the traffic light, follow the street towards Santa Ana Plaza. You´ll see it at your right.

Relic: 9th Street and B Avenue. At Luna´s Castle.

Indigo: Central Avenue, between 2nd and 3rd.

 

Historic City Cleans Up

For a while, garbage has been one of Casco Antiguo´s main challenges. The lack of education in the local community, along with the few resources of the City´s garbage department has been a negative combination.

During the last 10 years, Casco Antiguo has slowly gone through a revitalization process that has brought new people into the mix. This year, having a small critical mass of new residents, Casco Antiguo saw the birth of a community NGO called AVACA (the Casco Antiguo Friends and Residents Association, in Spanish) which has started to tackle the most important issues, garbage being in the top three.

This Sunday, the first public event of AVACA took place at Casco Antiguo. It was burning hot, but a cheerful crowd made it to the parking lot of the National Theatre, grabbed their tools and attacked the nearby beaches.

More…..

Can´t Save Yourself From Love

This has been an intense week for international piano star Danilo Perez and his wife and music therapist Patricia Perez. Fundación Danilo Perez has not only launched the next Panama Jazz Festival 2010, but also announced their program Music For Change… and received an award from the Smithsonian Institute in Washington for all the work he´s been doing in Panama with children.  He was also appointed artistic director at the Global Institute of Jazz of Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA. Danilo and Patricia are all about positive energy.

Their passion is simple and deep: to raise the level of music education in Panama and transform through it the lives of children at social risk. The jazz festival is only a platform to achieve this goal, but what a platform! Last year, close to 20,000 people enjoyed the festival. About 650 students went to the clinics, scholarships where given, for a week, Panama was turned into a Cultural Hub.

For Danilo, Panama is the perfect spot to nurture jazz. With an almost caleidoscopic culture….  SEE FULL STORY HERE

Schedule for Panama´s Music Fest: who plays when and where?

Schedule Fete de la Musique

Saturday 20th is the date… Starting at  3:00 p.m. hopefully until late night! See the schedule with hours in the picture here. Fourty  artists will be perform live at different venues throughout the charming Casco Antiguo. This is the third year that the Casco Antiguo Office, Alliance Frances and the French Embassy join forces take part in the worldwide celebration of the “Fete de la Musique”, or Musical Festival, a free open-air concert day which started in Paris. Today, Panama is one of 130 countries celebrating musical diversity on this very day. Entrence is free.

Art Marathon: Graffitti at Historic City in Panama

By Iranovy Grenald (excerpt from la Prensa)During this weekend in the streets of Casco Antiguo around the construction fence of Hotel Central, we were witness of a peculiar kind of art; Around twenty artists called by SembrArte through emails and in the web (Facebook) they joined their strenght in order to get together this weekend and paint a mural in the perimeter fence of the hotel.

Between one color and another, some of the artists explained that this is no a street protests. Perhaps ia a way to invite the meditation about the changes that attacks the patrimonio and the country identity.

One of the artists name Rolando de Sedas said that this art marathon should end on Saturday but because of the rain was extended until Sunday. His work in the mural, plump and delicates women, refers to the buildings of Casco Antiguo: bigs but delicates.

A few steps away, Andrea calvo and Angie Tryhane, they don´t stop painting. Angie paints a nucleus that in the center protects an obelisk of Plaza de Francia and Andrea did the same with the America´s Bridge.

Decorate the neighborhood is a mission, they said, and because of that next weekend during the Music Fest that will be in Casco Antiguo they will come again and paint around the fence of what it once was one of the most beautiful hotels in Panama.

Pictures taken by Patrizia Pinzon

Fried is Back! Casco Antiguo´s new art restaurant

I think we all agree fried food has gotten beat up in the last few years. But Entre Pulgas, at Casco Antiguo in Panama is coming to the rescue…

Beside Hotel Central, and a few steps away from Grandclement Ice Cream, are opening “Frit – Arts” a restaurant with an “all fried” concept plus art gallery.  Not sure what their menu will be, but don´t expect light salads and soups. This promises to be a place of “sinful pleasures”. If everything goes well, they should be on soft opening by next week. With Music Fest coming on the 20th, they´ve picked the right week

Music Invades Casco Antiguo June 20th

“Fete de la Musique” or Fiesta de la Musica (Music Fest) For June 20th

This year, the French Embassy will be hosting the event along with the Oficina del Casco Antiguo (OCA). From folkloric music to jazz, rock and the fuzzy “world music”, Music Fest will have about 35 artists running around Casco Antiguo, almost literally.

Logistics: As they have done in other festivals, parking in Casco Antiguo will only be for residents. General parking will be located at the Causeway in Amador, and there will be free transportation to the Casco throughout the festival. Usually, they also open the parking spaces at the San Felipe Neri fruit & vegetable market, right in front of the Fish Market, at the entrance of the Casco.

Who will be playing and where….starting at 3 p.m…..
ps. just in case, bring an umbrella and a folding chair.  In Panama, rainny season tends to be in the afternoon, probably by 3 will be ok, but you never know….

Plaza Herrera (Tropical music)

Los Beachers
Toby king
La Banda de Cheo
Rumberos Notorios

Plaza Catedral (Folkloric music)

Kenisin y Kiara y los Chiki Pindin
Osvaldo Ayala
Orquesta Folklore Latino
Samy y Sandra Sandoval
Ivan Barrios

Arco Chato (World Music)

Filarmónica de la Universidad de Panama
Alfredo Hidrovo
Yomirah John  (great singer!)
Apache Ness
Bannaba (Kuna jazz..)
La Chota

Teatro Anita Villalaz (classic)

Aguas del Chorrillo  (this is a group formed by OCA with students of one of the poorest parts of Panama. It is worth supporting their effort!)
Orquesta de Camara de la Universidad de panama
Sinfónica de la Universidad de Panamá
Coro Música Viva (one of the oldest and best chorus groups in Panama)

Paseo Esteban Huertas (Jazz)

Neuropunk
Harp Fusion
Luis Carlos Perez
Carlos Mendez
New Latin Jazz
Blue Note Jazz

La Casona (Rock)

The Vox
Los Bonsay
Mala Hierba
Calibre 57
Cabeza de Martillo  (one of the oldest and best heavy metal bands in Panama)
Leminwink