YAY — it’s a holiday week!

It seems as though the neighborhood is taking it pretty easy (in my case, I was fed by lovely gourmet friends) and hunkering down here in Bushwick or going to visit family.

What I’m trying to say is: it’s a light Culture weekend.

I’ve tracked down a few things and I invite y’all to post comments with happenings that I’ve missed. (And — as always, please add us to your mailing lists: bushwickarts@gmail.com)

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The newly renovated interior of La Tortillería Mexicana Los Hermanos still offers a view of the aromatic warehouse floor. — Photo by Diego Cupolo

It’s back! The celebrated taco shack in La Tortillería Mexicana Los Hermanos has been upgraded from an unusual snack stop in a garage to what seems to be a long-term establishment.

Los Hermanos set aside a corner of their one-story warehouse on Starr Street to create a small restaurant with the same big taste of their popular food stand. Customers can now enjoy their filled-to-the-brim tacos on sleek wood tables while observing the action on the tortillería floor through glass walls.

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$1900 — 3br: Okay, it’s not “like a 5-star hotel,” but this is a nice apartment. Exposed brick, wood floors, good light, new and attractive fixtures, and close to the train.
PETS OK | Bushwick and Myrtle | street view | Myrtle JMZ

$1300 — 2br rr: Nothing special but everything seems in order. Looks large and has wood floors — that trim needs to be repainted badly but that’s an easy job.
Bushwick and Jefferson St | street view | Myrtle JMZ

$1350 — 2br rr: Decent condition, price, and location. It is not “steps from the L” and you wouldn’t take DeKalb if it was, that must be info they forgot to change in the ad template.
PETS OK | Jefferson St and Evergreen | street view | Myrtle JMZ/Morgan L

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When I first moved to the Bushwick area a bit over a year ago, one of my first sublets was a room in a shared loft at 1717 Troutman. It was not so much a room as a plywood cocoon, floating above the living space and accessed through a hatch in the floor. At a height of less than 6 feet, I had to crouch in order to clear the ceiling, and the only natural light came in through a stained glass window that opened out into the living room.

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Ann Liv Young naked in 25 degrees at the Sanctuary of Hope. — Photo by Ellen Letcher.

It often seems that several interesting events cluster on the same date. This past Saturday, November 22nd, was one of those dates. I had four things I wanted to do: two art openings, a program of performances, and a music event. And they were all in the Greater Bushwick Metropolitan Area. More and more I ask myself, what’s the point of leaving Bushwick? There’s so much stuff going on in the hood now it’s getting downright confusing.

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Cinema 16 at Starr Space really hit the spot this past Friday. It was a cozy refuge from the cold, a good deal ($7 entry included bottles of delicious Raderberger Pilsner) and a compact night of interesting film and appropriate musical accompaniment.

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Tapewriting Televox. A tapewriting installation, part of BETA Spaces by D. Billy in Bushwick.

“I’m going to write a book about all the situations that remind me of awkward high school dances.” It’s practically a book, and a pretty good one — about the Triple Canopy Event at Starr Space, “gazelle syndrome,” and the inability to make friends with girls at parties.

No Age Lands. Impose Magazine reports on No Age and Titus Andronicus at Market Hotel.

Nice to Tweet you. I went to a small business conference this week and I was practically bludgeoned by the Twitter marketing monster.  What are people tweeting about Bushwick? A lot apparently, right now.

I never thought they’d film the less-attractive areas near my house, but duh, it’s a show about putting out fires — of course they want to film ugly. So here’s Denis Leary and his crew outside Lares Bar at Central and Jefferson Street, courtesy of tipster Brett Sroka (of the band Ergo).

Brrrrr! Ok, so NOW it’s cold. It’ll be a good weekend to rock some layers and brave the wind. Last weekend was pretty awesome — a ton of fabulous happenings all over the ‘wick. This weekend seems pretty promising as well…. no rest for the wicked, kids.

Tonight, increasingly famous Cinema 16 is back at Starr Space featuring Artanker Convoy’s live score to Harry Smith and Robert Enrico’s short films. 3rd Ward debuts Sean Fader’s solo show with complimentary cupcakes by Kumquat Cupcakery and Absinthe Libations by Pernod. Scenesters Columbia and Asa Ransom play Market Hotel and Silent Barn hosts ScrapCycle 2008: a two-floor noise show and one-night exhibition.

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It was an Altima — photo by Diego Cupolo

Just around the corner from Factory Fresh sits a lone Nissan Altima, or at least what’s left of it. Its freshly exposed components glow under bright orange street lights as art enthusiasts digest the collection of street art on a wall nearby.

Located on Vandervoort Place between Thames Street and Flushing Avenue, it is obvious this Nissan fell into the hands of professionals — the car’s been stripped more thoroughly and than any chop job I’ve ever seen before. The thieves got away with the front doors, five wheels (including the spare), the battery, hood, trunk, front doors, gas cap and all of the seats.

The only indication of how they did it: broken glass on the passenger side.